


Descendants 4: Wicked Dawn

by DragonForce



Series: 'Till the Night Falls [1]
Category: Descendants (Disney Movies)
Genre: F/M, I had too much fun with this..., The past is not always what it seems..., post-D3
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-10
Updated: 2019-12-10
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:08:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 33
Words: 77,974
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21747298
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DragonForce/pseuds/DragonForce
Summary: Uma and her crew have been welcomed into Auradon along with Mal's father, Hades. Maleficent has been captured. Peace seems to have returned to Auradon and everything is the way it should be. But Mal feels this peace may not last long. Strange things are happening all around Auradon, things and people are disappearing and there seems to be a strange high of magic throughout the kingdom.Soon, the events begin to happen at the school as well. Maleficent disappears from the secure room where she has spent the last year and a half. Many of the students have vanished, and the world is plagued with unusual weather. On top of all of that, the other parents of the Descendants are plotting their revenge. Mal knows they have to be stopped. And there's only one way to do that. The Dragonfires, her mother's most powerful weapon. But where are they? Secrets are brewing on the Isle. And soon, a new threat arrives  and one hero will uncover a dangerous secret and a plan that can destroy everything.As Carlos would say: "Happily Ever After with a bit of flavor."Warning: Content contains Devie. Proceed with caution. You have been warned. XD
Relationships: Chad/Audrey, Doug/Evie, Jane/Carlos, Jay/Lonnie - Relationship, Mal/Ben, harry/Uma
Series: 'Till the Night Falls [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1567414
Kudos: 14





	1. Welcome to the Show

The halls of Auradon Prep were packed to the brim with students finishing up their last few weeks of the school year. Among the well-dressed Auradonians was a group of teenagers, two boys and two girls, who were about to turn the whole place upside down.

Mal, a girl with purple hair and a black, purple, and green jacket, appeared first, stalking down the hallway, an apple in hand and a mischievous grin etched onto her face. All around her, students watched her a bit warily as a peppy beat began in the background and she began to sing.

** Mal: **

**Now's the time, get in line, don't be afraid tonight.**

All heads turned abruptly as Evie, an eye-catching bluenett, suddenly leaped up from a picnic table, leaving her boyfriend behind in a dazed stupor as she hurried to join Mal at the railing. Boys swooned as she passed but she ignored them all.

** Evie: **

**We're gonna take you high.**

**And before you realize.**

Jay, a boy with long brown hair, appeared on the rooftops, back-flipping down to join the girls. He shot a wink at several girls, causing them to squeal in delight.

** Jay: **

**Round and round you'll go.**

**Up and down and never slow.**

Carlos, the final member of the quartet, bolted across the tourney field, the campus mutt, Dude, right behind him. He leaped up the stairs and fell in sync with the others.

** Carlos: **

**Feel the excitement grow.**

** VKs: **

**_Oh, this is where you let go!_ **

**Hands high like a roller coaster.**

**This love is taking over.**

**Take us higher.**

**Here we go!**

**Oh, oh, oh...**

**Welcome to the show!**

Mal falls against the locker next to Ben who seems a bit startled to see her but grins nonetheless as she holds up the apple and takes a big bite of it.

Carlos swings Evie down the hall and Jay vaults off of some lockers, whooping and flipping over the railing before popping back up to join them.

Meanwhile, their significant others, Jane, Doug, and Lonnie slowly approach the dancing villains from the stairs, staying back of course, possibly pondering their next moves.

** VKs: **

**Gravity we're defying,**

**'Cause we were made for flying.**

Mal spread her arms and spun, pretending like she was flying.

**We're about to lose control.**

Evie whipped around and dropped into a graceful split before jumping back up and straightening out her shirt.

**Whoa-oh...**

**Welcome to the show!**

** Mal: **

**Oh, oh, we're on a mission.**

**Nothing...**

** Everyone: **

**_Nothing_!**

Carlos and Jay meet up and thrust their fists in the air at this.

** Mal: **

**Can stand in our way.**

**Oh oh,**

**We don't need permission.**

**We're gonna rise up.**

**And we'll be the change!**

**Evie :**

**Oh, oh...**

**Here us on your stereo...**

Carlos swings his headphones over his head and cheers. Evie giggles slightly as they spin pass each other.

**Oh, oh, we're about to lose control.**

**Oh, oh, everybody knows...**

Evie finishes her spin and spots the AKs hanging back. A wicked smile crossed her lips. 

** VKs: **

**This is where you let go!**

**Hands high like a roller coaster.**

**This love is taking over.**

Evie doubles back and grabs a hold of Doug, yanking him into the mix as well. Jay leaps back and pushes Lonnie forward while Carlos nervously holds his hand out to a red-faced Jane who takes it, smiling shyly. Mal breaks away from Ben and he follows her, starstruck.

**Take us higher,**

**Here we go!**

**Oh, oh, oh,**

**Welcome to the show!**

** Evie: **

**Gravity we're defying.**

** Mal: **

**'Cause we were made for flying.**

** Jay: **

**We're about to lose control.**

** Carlos: **

**Whoa-oh!**

** VKs: **

**_Welcome to the show!_ **

** Mal: **

**Come on! Come on! Come on!**

** Everyone: **

**Put your hands u-u-up,**

**We're gonna have some fu-u-un,**

**We've only just begu-u-un,**

**And it's too late to r-r-run.**

**_You can't run!_ **

Evie grabs Doug with a frown as the band geek turns and acts like he's about to run away and points him to his next position.

** Mal and Ben: **

**So put them u-u-up**

**We're gonna have some fu-u-un**

** Evie: **

**Turn up the bass**

**Let it bu-u-ump**

** VKs: **

**We've only just begun**

**And you can't run!**

Carlos and Jane lead the train down the hall, skipping.

Jay and Lonnie run after them.

Evie and Doug follow. Evie is laughing happily and Doug was ducking down, looking slightly embarrassed.

Ben and Mal take each other's hands and laugh as they bring up the rear.

 **Everyone** :

**Hands up like a roller coaster.**

**This love is taking over.**

**Take us higher,**

**Here we go.**

**Oh, oh, oh...**

**Welcome to the show!**

**Gravity we're defying.**

**'Cause we were made for flying.**

**We're about to lose control.**

**Whoa-oh**

**Welcome to the show!**

** Everyone in courtyard: **

**Hands up like a roller coaster**

**This is love is taking over.**

**Take us higher,**

**Here we go.**

**Oh, oh, oh...**

Jay flirts with all the girls until Lonnie frowns and pulls him away.

** Jay: **

**Welcome to the show!**

** Aks and VKs **

**Gravity we're defying.**

**'Cause we were made for flying.**

**We're about to lose control.**

**Whoa-oh**

Dude comes running across the lawn and leaps into Carlos' outstretched arms.

** Carlos: **

**Welcome to the show!**

** VKs and AK ** ** s **

**So put 'em u-u-up**

**We're gonna have some fu-u-un**

**Turn up the base let it bu-u-ump**

**We've only just begu-u-un...**

Evie holds up a summoned apple and holds it out to Doug with a wicked smirk. The boy hesitantly takes it.

** Evie: **

**Welcome to the show!**

** Everyone: **

**So put 'em u-u-up**

**We're gonna have some f-u-un**

**Turn up the base let it b-u-u-mp**

**We've only just begun...**

Mal's eyes begin to glow green as she grins wickedly.

**Mal :**

**And you can't run.**

Evie sighed in relief as everyone around her began to laugh. She watched as Ben pulled Mal in for a huge and Carlos did the same for Jane. Jay and Lonnie high-fived, both grinning. "Hey," Doug spoke up, coming over and putting an arm around her. She smiled down at him as he pocketed the apple and grinned back.

"Hey," she answered.

The moment was perfect. There was nothing that could disturb it. But there was something on the horizon, something that worried Evie, even though she didn't know what it was. And a faint voice in the wind that seemed to whisper in her ears.

_Everything is about to change._


	2. Rotten Roots

Mal had always been known as Maleficent's daughter. For sixteen years that had been her identity. She had always been a thief and a villain. She had been wicked. She had been mean. That was the way she'd liked it. She had never known anything else, and had no desire whatsoever to learn...and then everything had changed and, faster than one could say _bibbidi_ - _bobbidi_ - _boo_ , she'd ended up here, in Auradon. She, along with her friends; Evie, Jay, and Carlos, had found themselves thrown into an entirely new environment, one surrounded by students who _didn't_ steal, _didn't_ lie, and, most of all, _were actually kind._

It hadn't been a smooth transition. When they first arrived, they'd been ordered by their parents to steal Fairy Godmother's (who turned out to be the head of the school) magic wand and break the barrier over the Isle of the Lost. They had fully intended to do so. There had been only one problem--they had fallen in love with Auradon and, more accurately, with the people who lived there. Mal had met Ben and her future had been decided. She couldn't steal the wand and give up everything she'd dreamed of. The four of them stopped Maleficent, transforming her into a tiny lizard, and peace seemed to be restored. Unfortunately, that peace did not last long. Uma, a long time rival of Mal, had been furious that Mal had been selected to go to Auradon and she hadn't. She kidnapped Ben in the attempt to make the villans' kids give her the wand. By creating a convincing replica, they managed to fool Uma and rescue Ben, only to accidentally leave behind Maleficent's spell book, which allowed Uma to escape and spell Ben into bringing her to Auradon. Mal managed to defeat her, (though Ben really did most of the work just by talking to her) by transforming into a strange purple dragon. They never really talked about it, especially the dragon part. It was a bit too weird for anyone--Mal included. But Uma was gone for now, and there was nothing left to worry about.

Except maybe passing Medieval Arts Class.

Mal sighed for probably the fiftieth time since she first sat down in the school's ginormous sparkling library. The due five page report stared up at her, seeming to be laughing at her and her pitiful two page attempt. There was no way she was going to be able to do this. Why exactly was there a Medieval Arts Class anyway? It seemed a bit pointless in the modernized world.

"Wow. Homework must be really grueling, huh?"

She glanced up, spotting a flash of brown as Ben appeared out of thin air and took a seat across from her. She couldn't hold back the smile creeping onto her lips as she took in his light brown hair and sparkling eyes. He was as handsome as ever.

"What?" Ben went on, noticing her staring. He pulled off his backpack and dove through it until he found what he'd been searching for--a small leather-bound binder filled to the brim with papers and notes. None of them school related, Mal noticed.

"Not so bad as yours," she responded quickly, pointing at the folder. "Doesn't the king get time off to himself?"

He smiled wryly. "I doubt it. The council seems to enjoy keeping me on my toes. I fear, when I die, my tombstone will be covered with unfinished paperwork instead of flowers."

Mal laughed. "Oh, that's _horrible_."

He grinned now. "It is, isn't it?" He glanced over at her homework. "Medieval Arts?" he guessed.

Mal grimaced as she opened another book. It was times like these she really wished she still had her spell book handy. She knew so many helpful spells that would be _great_ in a situation like this. Fast-reading. Memorization. Speed-writing...

But she'd given that all up. She wasn't on the Isle anymore. She was in _Auradon_ now. Things were different here. And she was different. "Yeah," she answered. "I mean, how many ways can you use a sword? What are you supposed to do with it? Roast a kabob?" She threw her hands in the air in exasperation but kept on smiling.

"That would be a giant kabob," Ben spoke humorously.

Mal grinned. "Yeah. It would."

"But in all seriousness though," Ben went on. "You could probably ask Lonnie. I bet she'd be able to help you."

"Thanks," Mal said absentmindedly. "I might just do that." She thought of the dark haired daughter of Mulan. Lonnie was the captain of the fencing team (thanks to Jay's quick thinking) and could probably tell you anything you wanted to know about any weapon of your choosing, and maybe even more. Then, she snapped back into focus. "And what are you going to do?" she questioned.

Ben shrugged and scanned his papers as though searching for something. His schedule, most likely. "Three ribbon-cutting ceremonies," he read. "Two weddings. Oh, and a meeting with the seven dwarfs, no doubt about Grumpy's proposition that they get a larger share of the jewels they mine."

"Sounds like fun," Mal said innocently.

Ben coughed, smothering a laugh. "Yeah..." he trailed off. "Listen. I've got to get going," he told her, standing up and stuffing everything back into his backpack. "Will I see you later?"

"'Course," Mal replied. "We still on for that date tonight?"

"Wouldn't miss it. Bye, Mal."

"Bye," she called as he turned and hurried off. _I should go find Lonnie_ , she decided after a minute. Ben was right. If anyone could help her, she could. She quickly picked up her books and headed for the same door Ben had disappeared through moments before.

The halls of Auradon Prep were sparkly and spotless. Gold and blue banners hung from almost every rafter with a variety of cheers and quotes, most about using knowledge instead of magic and being kind and good instead of wicked. It was so different than the school on the Isle with its dreary cobblestone walls and floppy signs with warnings about resisting evil.

Students wandered in an out of classrooms. Some, like Mal, had been doing a bit of last minute cramming before the big mid-term exams and others were just enjoying the warm summer day by playing a bit of Tourney or soccer. Even from where she was standing on the balcony, she could see the white of Carlos's hair over in the tourney field. She supposed Lonnie had called a last minute meeting before the big game.

Mal would simply have to wait for her question.

"Mal? Mal!"

At the sudden exclamation of her name, the purplette turned on her heel to see a familiar short-haired girl come hurrying up to her, looking all on a hurry. "Hi, Jane," Mal said, giving the girl a sweet smile. "What seems to be the trouble?"

"Have you seen King Ben?" Jane gasped out.

"A few minutes ago," Mal answered. "Why? Is something wrong? Can I help?" She suspected the decorations for the royal banquet were the wrong color again. Surely she could help with whatever the problem was, right? No need to bother Ben when he was already so busy.

Jane hesitated. "I'm not sure..." she began.

Mal frowned. Something didn't feel right. Normally, her offer to help was never turned down. She wondered why this time would be any different. "Jane?" she repeated, no longer trying to hold up the appearance of joy. She sensed something was off. She just wanted to help. "What's wrong?"

"Well...all right...it's about Maleficent," Jane admitted. She clutched her text books tighter and hurried off down the hall.

Mal quickly jogged after her. "My mother?" she questioned, not able to hide her surprise. Though, she reasoned, she had no real reason to be surprised. Whenever something bad happened in Auradon, it was usually somehow the evil woman's fault to some extent or another. "What happened? Is she okay?"

"No one knows!" Jane answered.

They rounded a bend and Mal hastily stepped in front of the girl's path, stopping her in her tracks. "Wait...no one knows?" she echoed. "How is that possible?"

"I'm afraid I can't answer that, Mal!" Jane responded as they kept power-walking.

"Can't? Are you sure about that?" Mal pressed.

Jane looked rather uncomfortable. "Mal, I can't explain it all to you," she answered. "Let's just say, Maleficent has been acting a bit...strange...recently."

"Strange how?"

"Strange, like, you know, _strange_." Jane really did not seem to want to answer her questions. "Look, Mal, I really can't tell you. She's your mother after all so...maybe you'd get more out of her than I would but...anyone would think she's...plotting something."

"She's a lizard," Mal reminded her friend. "How could she be plotting?"

Jane shrugged. "I don't know," she responded honestly. She glanced at her watch. "Oh! I'm sorry, but, I'm late for a meeting with Carlos!" She turned and practically fled down the hall. "See you later!"

Mal frowned after her. _What was that all about_? She'd never known Jane to be so antsy--well, not since they first arrived. _What's got her so in a hurry_? Oh well. She decided she should probably check in on her mother. Not because she was worried about what Jane had said. Because she was a good daughter...even though her mother was wicked. Maleficent was still her mom. And perhaps, with enough time, she too could grow to love.

_We became good. So can she._

The corridors got strangely quieter the closer she got to the locked room where Fairy Godmother was keeping Maleficent. This wasn't really surprising. Everyone had heard of her mother's truly evil deeds and everyone still feared her. Though, to be fair, it had been nineteen years since Maleficent had done any burning of kingdoms or turning into fire-breathing reptiles. Now, she just stayed here, locked away, where she'd be safe from the rest of the world.

Two stern looking guards had been posted outside the door. Neither moved a muscle as Mal approached them. She gave them a wry smirk. "Permission to enter?"

They didn't answer.

Mal took this as a yes. Carefully, she unlocked the door and stepped into the chilling darkness. And by that, she meant _chilling_ and _dark_. It reminded her a lot of their house--castle really--on the Isle. Maleficent had always liked the dark, said it made her feel more at home. As for the cold, Mal suspected that had something more to do with her mother's aging bones. The only thing in the room other than her mother was Maleficent's famous staff, which had it's own secure prison in the corner.

In the center of the room, on a tall white pedestal, was a small terrarium where Maleficent now lived. It wasn't much. A simple cage with a small pond and lots of edible plants. But it was all Fairy Godmother was willing to risk. She may have been a very caring Headmistress, but she was far from stupid. And, after Uma, she definitely wasn't taking any risks that might allow Maleficent to escape.

"Mom?" Mal whispered as she reached into her backpack and pulled out half a peanut-butter and jelly sandwich. "I brought you some lunch."

She opened the lid of the terrarium and laid the sandwich down beside the pond. She closed the lid and waited, expecting the lizard to come running out like she always did. Only, this time, she didn't. Mal's frown increased. She waited another minute. And then two. Maleficent never appeared.

"Mom?"

Stillness.

Something wasn't right. Mal reached for her phone, intent on texting Ben to see if he'd moved her for any reason. But then, a glint of light caught her eye. She froze, her finger hovering over the send button. _Oh-no. It couldn't be..._

But it was.

Mal silently wished it away. She wished she wasn't seeing what she was, that she could see something--anything--else. But there was no denying it, no matter how much she prayed.

Maleficent's staff was gone.

And so was Maleficent. 


	3. One Bad Apple

Evie had been in love with Auradon since day one.

From the moment the limousine had pulled up in front of the castle-like school and she'd gotten her first glance of what she'd been missing on the isle, she'd never once thought about going back home.Everything had been so _perfect_. The sparkling fountain, the clean campus, the pink curtains. To come to Auradon had been like a dream come true for an aspiring clothes-designer like herself. She'd never imagined anything could go wrong in Auradon.

Until today.

Because today, right now, she was about to be a _late_ and _expelled_ clothes designer.

"Carlos!" she hissed at her white-haired friend as they dashed down the hallway towards the Physics classroom. "Hurry up! We're going to be _late_!" She tugged her backpack further up on her shoulders as they rounded a bend and shot towards the eastern half of the building. "Carlos! _Come on_!"

"Coming!" the white-haired boy dove out of the darkness after her, struggling to swing his satchel over his shoulder as he went.

 _This is all my fault. I should have known better! I should have kept a better eye on the clock!_ Evie mentally beat herself up as they rounded the last bend. She should have been better prepared! It was so unlike her to get carried away in something and lose track of the time--let alone cause anyone else to be late.

"The next time..." Carlos puffed. "You need someone to be your personal pincushion...ask Doug! I am still...finding pins... _everywhere_!" As he spoke, he yanked out a particularly red bobby pin from his shirt sleeve.

"I'm sorry!" Evie apologized for probably the fifteenth time. "I never imagined it would take so long to stitch the final hems on so many skirts!"

Carlos didn't respond. Evie figured he'd be mad with her for a while. Eventually, though, he would get over it. That was just who he was. Which was a good thing. She really didn't want _anyone_ to be mad at her for very long.

They rounded one final corner and Carlos split off from her, heading for his own class--something to do with animals if Evie recalled correctly. She didn't really have time to ponder on it long, however, as she glanced at a nearby clock and realized once more how late she was. _Oh_ _poisoned apples!_ She sped off down the hallway towards the science lab, locating it at the end of the hall on the left.

She burst through the door a moment later, causing a few students to glance up at her in surprise before returning to their work. Evie frowned. Something immediately felt off. She glanced around. Everything seemed to be in order. She turned towards the front of the classroom and that was when she realized what it was.

Mr. Delay wasn't there.

With a sigh of relief, realizing she wasn't about to be sent to detention for tardiness, Evie slid into her chair next to Doug who was busy reading over something that looked suspiciously like a manuscript. He hadn't seemed to notice yet that she was there. She guessed that was partly due to the earbuds blasting what sounded like hard rock. He was mouthing the words and Evie couldn't help but giggle a little. It was so unusual, it was funny. He was still dressed in his band uniform so she could only guess practice had just let out.

"So..." she said after a moment of silence. "What's going on here?"

He jumped silently and yanked out an earbud. "Evie!" he gasped, eyes wide behind his large frames. "H-hey! T-this? This is nothing." He instantly tried to stuff the wad of papers into the back of his math text book but Evie snatched it out of his grip and turned it over to the front page curiously.

" _A Dragon's Heart_ ," she read aloud. "Doug, is this what I think it is?"

"Erm...what do you think it is?" he stammered, desperately reaching for it, groaning in despair as she held it out if his reach. He flopped back down in his seat, pouting. Evie saw this and smirked. Already, Doug's ears were beginning to flush scarlet.

"I think this is a manuscript for something," Evie responded. "Doug, are you _writing_ a _book_?"

"No!" He answered hastily. His face turned as red as his ears. "But, um, what would you say if I was, _theoretically_?"

Now, Evie knew there was _nothing_ theoretical about his statement. She also knew how to tell right off the bat when he was lying to her, out of embarrassment or...for another reason...which she knew he would _never_ do. He blushed scarlet whenever he tried. At least she didn't have to worry about him telling her the truth. "Well, _theoretically_ , I'd say that sounds incredible and you should definitely let me read it."

"It's just that, you're so amazingly talented and all I can do is play a trumpet and I want to be good at something like you, Evie. Because you are smart and amazing and..." Doug went on hastily, clearly not hearing a word she said.

" _Doug._ " She interrupted his train wreck by gently placing her hands upon his. "Take a breath, okay? Yes, I think you should definitely give it a try! And, who knows, you could be a _great_ writer!"

"Really?" Doug breathed a sigh of relief as Evie lowered the bundle of papers back to the desk. "You really think so?"

"I do." Evie gave him an encouraging smile. As she handed the manuscript back, she glanced once more at the empty front of the classroom."Um...where's Mr. Delay?" she inquired. She peered over at his watch. _1:20_. She frowned. She knew she'd been late. So where was their professor?

Doug shrugged, stuffing his papers back into his backpack and organizing his desk for what Evie had no doubt was the fourth or fifth time that morning.

"Has _anyone_ seen him?" Evie went on, scanning the other students through the large test tubes. All seemed careless, horsing around or throwing paper airplanes at one another. In all the time she'd spent in Auradon, Evie had never seen the science professor be late.

Chad, Prince Charming's son, heard her comment and glanced over from his desk, flashing her a gleaming (and somewhat ominous) grin that she pointedly ignored. "Nope," he answered. "Can't say that's a bad thing though. I could use a break from all of this... _work_."

Evie rolled her eyes. Ever since Chad had convinced her to complete his homework in return for a 'date', she'd been wary of anything he might throw at her--in class or out. But now she wasn't alone. She had Doug. And he was more of a prince than Chad could ever be. "But, seriously, why isn't he here?" she quizzed, leaning over to whisper to Doug. "Class ends in twenty minutes! Do you suppose he's sick?"

He shrugged again. "Maybe? I'm sure Fairy Godmother is aware of what's going on, wherever Mr. Delay is."

"Does she?" Somehow, Evie wasn't convinced. "Don't you think it's kind of weird that there was no cancellation if he were sick? I mean, there is no substitute for this class is there?"

"No..."

Evie decided what she had to do. Without stopping to doubt herself, she gathered up all of her books and papers and stood up, determined to do something about this.

Doug looked up in alarm. "Wait! Where are you going?" he questioned as she started towards the door. Scrambling to collect his backpack, he hurried after her, grabbing the doorknob seconds before she could reach it and yanking the door open for her.

She paused. "What are you doing?" she questioned.

"Coming with you." Doug gestured her through. She flashed him a look of surprise before practically running out of the classroom. Taking a deep breath, possibly questioning his sanity and wondering why, for the first time in his life, he was ditching class, he followed her. "But...where are we going?"

"Fairy Godmother is teaching _Remedial_ _Goodness_ to the newest villain kids, right?" Evie called as she took off down the corridor, leaving him behind in the dust.

"Um...I guess?"

"Then that's where we are going!"

She was in such a rush that she didn't see the purple-haired figure come barreling down the hall until it was too late. With almost identical shouts, both girls hit the floor while Doug stood, watching them in bewilderment.

"Evie!"

"Mal?"

The two struggled to untangle themselves and stand up. Both were breathing heavily and for a moment, Evie wondered why Mal was in such a hurry. She wasn't late for a very important date was she? "Mal, have you seen Fairy Godmother?" Evie went on.

Mal shook her head. "No, and I need to speak with her."

Evie's eyes widened. "You too?"

Mal looked at her strangely. "'Me too' _what_?"

"Is your Professor missing too?" Doug interrupted in a rather small voice. No matter how long the villain's kids had been away from the Isle, it was clear that Mal still intimidated him.

"Missing?" Mal's brow furrowed. "No..."

"No time! No time!" Evie interjected, grabbing Mal's arm and towing her after her. "We've got to find FG! Doug, _come on_!" The two girls darted down the hallway and the dwarf was hot on their heels. Several heads turned as they rushed by, undoubtedly noticing Evie. Though she wasn't nearly as vain as her mother, the bluenett knew she was quite attractive and many of the guys at the academy had their eyes set on her.

"Evie! Mal!" someone yelled from behind them but they didn't stop. Evie suspected someone had noticed they weren't in class and had come to stop them. A group of middle-schoolers heading out for a field trip scattered as the three seniors flew past.

"Sorry, sorry," Doug mumbled, struggling to keep up with the girls as he wove and shouldered his way through. Apparently his presence wasn't nearly as terrifying as the two Island girls'.

Evie and Mal rounded and bend, leaving him behind.

Doug sighed deeply and twisted his baseball cap backward in determination.

A moment later, Mal reemerged. "Doug! Hurry up!" she snapped, gesturing him towards her. She took off running again.

"Coming!"

Evie was the first to reach Fairy Godmother's office and she waited rather impatiently for the others to catch up before knocking rather hard on the door. There was no reply. Evie knocked again. Nothing.

"What's wrong?" Doug gasped, catching up at last.

Mal frowned. She rapped on the door. "Fairy Godmother?" she called through the thick wood. "FG, are you here?"

"Okay. Mal, stand aside." Evie pushed her way back to the front and pulled out a mini purse, containing her personalized blue lock-picking set. She knelt down and began to jimmy the lock.

"Evie..." Doug hissed. "Do you really think you should be doing that? I think that's called breaking-and-entering. It's illegal," he added in case they didn't get it.

"Well then, don't look," Mal responded, crouching down next to Evie. "Where could she have gone? This is the new Remedial Goodness classroom, is it not?"

Evie frowned. "I believe so..." There was a loud click and the door swung open. "Got it!" she announced triumphantly, standing up quickly. Softly, she pushed the door further, peering into the stillness. "Fairy Godmother?" she called. "Are you here?" The room was dark.

"Anything?" Mal peered around her shoulder into the blackness.

Evie shook her head. "No..."

"Mal! Evie!"

Footsteps. Running towards them.

Both girls swung around to see the fourth VK come running down the hall towards them, nearly flattening Doug who dove back against the lockers to avoid being crushed. "Hey, Jay," he muttered, readjusting his glasses with a sigh. The boy ignored him (most likely didn't even see him) as he skidded to a halt in front of Mal and Evie.

"Jay?" Mal blinked, confused. "What are you doing here? Don't you have Tourney practice?"

"Did," Jay responded. "But Lonnie never showed. What are you all doing here?"

Evie's jaw dropped. _Mr. Delay, then Fairy Godmother, now Lonnie_! An idea was beginning to form in the back of her mind and she didn't like where it was going at all. She reached into her backpack and drew out her magic mirror, taking a deep breath as she began to speak. "Mirror Mirror with magic unbound, where can Fairy Godmother be found?"

For a moment, nothing happened. And then, slowly, the glass began to move, swirling from black to gray and finally settling on a murky brown. But FG never appeared. Evie frowned. "Mirror!" she snapped. "Where is Fairy Godmother?" Nothing happened. _That's weird_.

"Try Maleficent," Mal said suddenly.

Evie twisted her gaze towards her. "Why?"

"Please," Mal responded, looking a bit nervous.

Evie was confused but decided to give it a try anyway. "Magic Mirror, show me Maleficent!"

Nothing happened.

"Well...that's not good," Jay quipped.

It took everything in Evie not to turn around and throw something at him. Instead, she focused on taking a deep breath as she started to pace back and forth. "This doesn't make any sense!" she growled. "The Mirror is supposed to be unable to break! It was my mother's own creation! There's no way it could be broken!"

"Maybe some sort of magic is corrupting it?" Mal suggested.

"Or maybe it's just been overused as a normal mirror?" Jay suggested. Evie glared at him. "What?" he protested, raising his hands defensively. "You know your mother! Evil Queen cared for nothing but looking beautiful! And that includes constantly reapplying blush."

Any other time, she would have given him such a heated stare that he could have melted but, today, she just didn't have it in her. "That's fair," she sighed. "But I think I agree with Mal's theory more."

"But what kind of magic?" Jay asked. "There's not that much left in Auradon now."

"Uh...guys?" Doug tried to interject.

"Well, what about something from the museum?" Evie questioned. "If we were able to get in, then maybe someone was too."

"And that could explain where my mother went," Mal put in.

"Evie?" Doug tried again.

Evie and Jay spun towards Mal, jaws dropped. "What?" Jay gasped. "Maleficent's _gone_?"

"Mal!" Evie added. "Why didn't you tell us this sooner? Of course! Now it all makes sense! Maleficent _has_ to be behind all of these disappearances!"

"But...how could she mess with your mirror?" Jay asked.

Evie shrugged. "She's Maleficent. I'm pretty sure she can do anything she wants."

Doug took a long breath. "GUYS!" he yelled. "LISTEN!"

All three VKs whipped towards him in shock. Never once, in all the time that they'd known him, had they ever heard Doug raise his voice to anyone, let alone _them_! But, now the nerd had their attention. He nervously glanced down at his shoes, as though embarrassed by his outburst. "Sorry," he mumbled.

"What is it, dude?" Jay asked.

"It's just...do you hear that?"

"Hear what?" Mal questioned.

Evie strained her ears and, for the first time, heard the faint pitter-patter on the rooftops. "Sounds like a downpour out there," she commented. "But it's just a little bit of rain, Doug, what's the big deal?"

"Don't tell me you've never heard rain before!" Jay scoffed.

Doug shook his head, eyes wide. "I haven't! Auradon is always sunny! It's one of the spells King Beast--well, Ben's father--put around the kingdom when he took the throne! It hasn't rained here in _centuries!_ "

Mal frowned. "Uma..."

"Do you really think she's capable of something this powerful?" Evie questioned.

"The hate in her heart is great enough. I fear she's capable of anything," Mal responded. "Come on," she added, putting an arm around her best friends. "I think we need to go find Carlos. The four of us need to get the Isle as fast as possible!"

"Wait!" Doug called as they started to hurry off. "I'm coming with--" Whatever he was about to say was cut off abruptly as he gave a sudden cry of pain. His legs gave out and he hit the floor, eyes squeezed shut in agony. He writhed as though trapped in some unseen nightmare.

"Doug!" Evie ran back to him and dropped to her knees, trying to hold him still. "Doug, what's happening?" She jumped back as he almost punched her. _What's going on?_ She turned to Mal who rushed back over, a deep frown on her face. _This is a spell!_ she screamed at her friend. _Do something! Help him!_ "DOUG!"

"Evie! Get back!" Mal snapped, grabbing Evie's arm and dragging her back. "Get back!" She lunged for Doug, struggling to hold the writhing boy to the earth. "Stop!" she screamed at no one in particular. Her eyes flashed bright green. " _STOP_! JAY! _Go get the nurse!_ "

Jay took off like a shot, disappearing in a matter of seconds.

"Mal..." Evie gasped, watching the scene unfolding, terrified. "Mal...do something..."

"What do you _think_ I'm doing?" Mal spat. Her eyes flashed again and her hands began to glow with a strange orange light. "Doug!" she yelled at the boy. "You have to get it together! Concentrate!" He stopped struggling and fell back with an expression of pain through he gave no verbal response to her words.

"Doug," Evie, now seeing the coast was clear, came hurrying over to her boyfriend. "Focus on me. My voice. Can you hear me? Mal?" she looked fearfully over at her friend. "What's going on?"

"He's been spelled," Mal answered grimly. "A sleeping spell, ironically. He's trapped in his own dream...a nightmare really."

"Mal...this is Uma's doing!" Evie gasped. "It has to be! This is her way of getting revenge on me for the Isle! I know it is! And she's using Doug to hurt me!"

"Uma may have powers," Mal interjected. "But she's not strong enough for this kind of magic. This is...something else. Like my mother."

"M-Maleficent?" Evie stammered.

Mal nodded, standing up now and backing away. "This is her favorite kind of spell," she said disgustedly. "Ask Sleeping Beauty."

"W-what can we do?"

"Well, you could always try kissing him," Mal said with a shrug. "But something tells me Mom has really thought this through this time. She wouldn't make the same mistake twice. No, there has to be another way."

"WHAT?" Evie cried. "Mal! We have to do something! I can't lose him!"

"You won't," Mal answered.

At that moment, Jay returned, breathless. "I can't find anyone," he puffed.

Mal glanced up at him in shock. "No doctors or..."

Jay shook his head frantically. "No! I mean, _anyone_! Mal, everyone's _gone_!"


	4. Heigh-Ho Oh-No

The earth gave an uncharacteristic rumble. People screamed and ran for cover beneath old buildings and crumbling structures. Bricks crashed into the marketplace. Overhead, lightning flashed and thunder roared. The barrier shuddered as the ocean waves bashed mercilessly against it.

Above the frenzy, in one of the more stable castles, three villains stood, ready for their moment at last.

"Is it time?" Cruella demanded, marching impatiently around the room, stroking her stuffed dog repetitiously. "Queenie...is it time?"

"When it's time," Evil Queen growled dangerously. " _I will let you know_!"

"Wowza, someone has jumped into Maleficent's shoes pretty quickly, hasn't she?" Jafar mused, creeping up to stand beside the woman as she glared out at the dirty city. "Who died and made you leader of the Isle?"

"You've forgotten, Jafar," Evil Queen snapped. "That I am a _queen_! I should be ruling Auradon, not some... _creature!_ And, after today, _no one will dare speak my name!"_ She turned away from the ledge with a huff and stormed back inside what was left of Maleficent's castle. "Cruel!" she yelled for the dog-obsessed woman. "I need a mirror!"

"What are you going to do, _Your Highness_?" Jafar sneered. "Look at your own reflection some more?"

"Of course not," the queen responded loftily. "The barrier is down. It's all over the news. We are _free_...though...I do have some wrinkles that I should attend to."

"Shocking."

Evil Queen glared at him as she held out hand, waiting as Cruella returned with a mirror. It was just a small handheld but it was enough. "Mirror, show me the Seven Dwarfs!" she ordered. The mirror swirled and morphed until the cluster of men could be seen, dancing around their cottage with their wives. "Foul beings, Dwarfs," Evil Queen grunted. "Too busy digging jewels to notice what is right under their noses."

"And yet," Cruella put in. "They were the ones that chased you up and over that cliff were they not?"

Her glare was enough to melt pure steel. Like mother like daughter. Jafar, who normally would have laughed at this, wisely decided to keep his trap shut. Evil Queen seemed to notice this and decided to leave it at that, focusing her attention once more on her mirror. "Show me, Evie!" she growled. Once more the mirror changed and the bluenett appeared, hurrying down shining white corridors, Mal and a boy in tow. "What is she doing?" the queen wondered aloud. "And _what is up_ with her _hair_?"

"She looks a thousand times better than you," Jafar snickered.

Evil Queen hit him upside the head.

" _Ow_!" he complained, rubbing his scalp painfully. "What did you do _that_ for?"

"You know why," she replied, swishing her cape back behind her majestically, just like Maleficent used to. "Villains!" she called. "It's time! The barrier is _gone_! Those hero _fools_ thought they could keep us imprisoned forever? I think it's time we got our revenge! Against 101 furry beasts," she glanced towards Cruella. "And a prince and a genie," she looked to Jafar. "And, most of all, against Snow White and her army of little men." She glanced back at her mirror with a wicked grin. "And I know just how to begin." She cackled.

Jafar shuddered. "You sound just like Maleficent."

Evil Queen turned back towards him with a grin. "Perfect."

* * *

_He was standing in blackness. All around him he could hear the steady pings of steel hitting stone. He blinked, struggling to see. He reached up instinctively to adjust his glasses only to find nothing there. He frowned. Something was very wrong here. This_ _place...it_ _seemed to_ _familiar..._ _yet...he_ _didn't recognize it._

_Where was he? How had he gotten here? The last thing he remembered was chasing Mal and_ _Evie_ _towards_ _FG's_ _office. No one has been there. Jay...Jay had shown up hadn't he? But after that, everything was foggy._

_"Hello?" He called, hearing the ringing grow louder. "Is anybody here?"_

_He tried to take a step forwards. His foot hit a crevice and he stumbled, throwing out a hand to try and steady himself, feeling something cold, damp, and solid against his fingertips. A cave, he realized. He was in his family's mining cave. "Evie? Hello?" he shouted again, hearing his voice bounce around the stillness and come back to him. "Mal? Jay? Anyone?"_

_Silence. He was all alone._

_He took a deep breath. What would_ _Evie_ _do? Instantly, he pictured her whipping out her magic mirror and saying some rhyming sentence to activate its powers. That obviously wasn't going to work for him. He certainly didn't have a special magic mirror to solve all of his problems. All he had was his intelligence--and a merit badge in s'mores._

_Instinctively he reached once more for his glasses._

_He sighed._

_Starting with small steps, he began inching forwards, using the invisible wall to guide him. He felt the cavern closing in on him, threatening to suffocate him. He had to get out of there. The_ _darkness...it_ _was coming after him._

_He walked faster, feeling eyes staring at him from the shadows. His heart started throbbing, his lungs froze and he struggled to breathe. What he wouldn't give to be back in his dorm, messing around with his trumpet and driving Chad insane._

_"Look out! She's found us!"_

_"Everybody get down!"_

_Voices rang out from the shadows. Panicked. Frightened._

_Doug moved faster. He was almost running. Though from the fear or the shouting, he didn't know._ Hold on! _he yelled to whoever was screaming._ I'm coming! _What he was planning on doing, he wasn't quite sure. But he knew someone was in trouble and they needed help._

_And explosion rocked the cave and the next thing he knew, he was face-planting the rock. The earth shook violently and parts of the roof crumbled down on his head. He lay there, eyes squeezed tightly shut, until the quaking stopped and then a minute longer._

_Getting back to his feet, he moved quickly away from the fallen debris, shuddering. There was a reason he didn't like mines. He forced the images and memories from his brain._ Where is everyone?

_He emerged from the dark cavern into a room flooded with light. He blinked, bringing up a hand to shield his eyes as he took it all in. He was standing in a large cave. Jewels and diamonds littered the walls. Doug's eyes widened. He'd found it. The cave his family had spent decades looking for._

I don't believe it.

_"Move!"_

_"Look out! "_

_A second tremor. Doug backed up against a wall as boulders crashed from their perches to the cave floor. What was going on? Caves weren't supposed to shake like this! Was there an earthquake? Where were the voices coming from?_

_"FOOLS!"_

_The scream seemed to come from everywhere at once. He searched the room frantically, seeing no one._

_"Doug."_

_He turned, hearing a familiar voice. "Evie," he breathed, a smile creeping onto his lips as he spotted the_ _bluenett_ _standing a few feet away. "What are you doing here? Where are we? Where are Jay and Mal?" She didn't return the grin. His smile faded as he saw the ruby red dagger clutched tightly in her fist. "_ _Evie_ _? Wait...what are you doing?"_

_She smirked at him, turning the blade over and over in her hand. "Did you really think I loved you?" Her voice was cold. This wasn't the_ _Evie_ _he knew. "Who could love_ you? _You're_ _nothing_ _more_ _than_ _a_ _runt_ _and_ _a_ _geek_. _The_ _son_ _of_ _a_ dwarf."

_Doug couldn't breathe. He felt his world crashing down all around him. "W-what are you s-saying?" He couldn't keep the quiver out of his voice. He hated that. It made him feel even more weak._

_She smiled wickedly. "My mother is Evil Queen. You should have known this was coming sooner or later." She flicked the dagger at his chest. He flinched, pressing his back harder against the cold stone. Panic flashed through him and it must have reflected in his eyes. "Oh," Evie pretended to look sad. "What's wrong? You_ actually thought _I_ cared _about you? I don't love you. I_ never _loved you. I merely used you to get what I wanted. Not such an unique thought is it? But I guess it must be painful for you. Good. The more you suffer, the more joy I feel."_

_"Why are you here? he gasped, his smarts abandoning him. He'd feared this kind of reaction from her when the villain kids first arrived from the Isle, admittedly. But now...now he'd thought she'd changed. He loved her. And now he knew she didn't feel the same._

" _I'm_ _here_ _to_ _finish_ _what_ _my_ _mother_ _started_. _And_ _that_ _means_ _ridding_ _the_ _world_ _of_ _dwarfs_. _Including_ half-breeds _like_ you. _" She lashed out with the dagger. Doug ducked. The blade sunk into the rock where he'd been leaning only moments before. He jumped backwards, tripping over his own feet and hitting the ground._ _Evie_ _towered over him, her eyes glowing with a strange orange fire._

_A sharp pain erupted in his chest and he brought a hand to his heart as he gasped. Blood oozed between his fingers as he lay his head on a slab of rock, unable to move. "No..." he pleaded, trying to crawl away. The pain intensified and he gave up, panting. "Please..." He held an arm in front of his face. He shook uncontrollably. "_ Don't _."_

_"_ Please _," Evie mocked in a high voice as she stomped towards him. "You_ dare _ask me for mercy? Your father showed no mercy to my mother when he chased her off of that cliff!"_

_Doug closed his eyes. He couldn't run. There was no way to escape. "Evie..." he coughed. "No!"_

_She raised the dagger above her head, preparing to strike. "WHAT'S THAT?" she screamed._

_Even through closed eyes, Doug was aware of a brilliant silver light radiating from behind him. He heard Evie fall away and he dared to open his eyes, gasping as the light grew even brighter. He struggled to turn, squinting through the light to see a small bluish-silver jewel. Hie eyes widened. What was happening?_

_He glanced up at Evie. She was no longer looking at him. He decided this was his chance. Heaving himself up onto his arms, he struggled towards the rock, reaching desperately for it. He didn't know why but he felt like it was immensely important._

_"NOOOO!" Evie screamed._

_His fingers brushed the jewel. A wave of heat shot through his body._

_And then everything was gone._

"Doug? DOUG!"

"Evie, back up! Give him room to breathe!"

"I can't believe that _worked_!"

Doug opened his eyes slowly, feeling as though every muscle in his body were broken. Unconsciously, he lifted his hand weakly to fix his crooked lenses, breathing a raspy sigh of relief to feel the cold metal on his face. Something icy was in his other hand but he was too stiff to look and see what it was.

His gaze flicked upwards. He blinked and the blue, purple, and brown hair of his three friends came into view. Evie was closest to him and Mal and Jay were right behind her. Doug had the suspicion Evie might have kissed him again. "What...what happened?" he wheezed.

"A sleeping spell," Mal answered shortly.

" _Again_ ," Evie put in. She looked extremely relieved. He gave her a small smile which she returned. Immediately, the dream began to fade. _It wasn't real_ , he told himself firmly. _Evie would never do that._

"Sorry to break...this...up," Jay interrupted, helping Doug up and giving him a friendly slap on the back. The boy grabbed his glasses quickly before they flew off and grinned weakly. "But we really need to get moving."

"Where are we going?" Doug questioned.

"We have to find Ben and Fairy Godmother," Evie answered, passing by him and scanning the hallway. "And Carlos, Lonnie, and Jane if we can."

"I think we should split up," Mal suggested, drawing all of their eyes. "Evie, you and I will go back the way we can and see who we can find. Maybe Audrey or Chad can help us find the others and find out who's doing all of this. Doug, you go with Jay and find Uma, Gil, and Harry. I have a feeling we're going to need their help for this."

"Got it!" Evie took off down the corridor back towards the Physics lab. Jay, meanwhile, went down the opposite hall. Mal followed Evie and Doug was left standing alone in the dark room. He glanced down at the object in his hand.

The jewel.

What could it mean? Why did it save him? _How_ did it save him?

He didn't know the answers. He had to remember to ask the VKs later.

With that thought, he stuffed the stone into his pocket and took off after Jay.


	5. A Secret from the Isle

"Jay! Wait! Hold on! Do you even know where we're _going?_ "

Jay flew down the corridor, faster than he'd ever run before. He still wasn't one hundred percent sure what was going on but he knew it was serious. Mal never joked around when it came to asking Uma and her pirate crew for help. And now, Jay and Doug were in charge of rounding up the newest arrivals for some kind of special mission. Jay was still a bit suspicious of them--even if they had helped stop a tyrannical Audrey from destroying the barrier and sending everyone in Auradon to sleep.

"Are Uma and her pirates even on the school grounds?"

That didn't mean they were just suddenly good. Jay personally didn't fully trust them. Particularly Harry Hook. He always seemed to be lurking. Gil, Gaston's son, yeah, he was probably not too much of a threat. Uma...Jay had never personally been very fond of Uma but had been mostly due to their travelings in two separate clicks. But Mal trusted her now. And Mal was usually a pretty good judge of character.

"What are they going to be able to do? What if we can't find them? What if everyone's disappeared? What if--"

 _That's it_. _I'm done. This has gone on long enough._

"Doug!" Jay came to a dead halt and spun on his heel to face the anxious dwarf, still reeling at the concept of having to look _up_ at him. "Take a chill pill will you? Why are you asking me all of these questions that you _know_ I don't have the answer to?" He tried to give an encouraging smile but his friend did not seem comforted in the least. "Look," Jay said with a sigh. "I get that this is a bit overwhelming but, right now, our main mission is to find the others."

"But what if Maleficent--"

Jay _really_ fought the urge to face palm. " _Chill_. _Pill_ ," he repeated through clenched teeth. "Maleficent wouldn't hang around," he added, seeing the fear in the dwarf's eyes. "She wouldn't risk someone spotting and recognizing her. And she never did like socializing with the 'peasants'. Besides, I think a fifty-foot dragon would be quite noticeable just hanging around on campus."

They darted out two sets of glass doors and down several marble stairs into the courtyard. The large rectangle of grass was the heart of Auradon Prep. Tables were scattered all across the lawn, each with a collection of chairs in perfect organization. On a normal sunny day, the field would be crowded with laughing students and unruly Tourney players, studying or just fooling around. Not today, however. Today, it was entirely deserted and the ugly green clouds growled overhead.

Jay stopped and scanned the clearing, frowning as he took in the seriousness of the situation. He'd never heard of magic this powerful. Not even from Maleficent. And if what Mal had said was true, the evil fairy was roaming free throughout Auradon. That meant _everyone_ was in danger. They _had_ to figure this out...and _fast_.

"Where do you suppose everyone went?" Doug questioned, coming up behind him.

"Don't know," Jay responded honestly. "But I think we can cover more ground if we each go a different direction."

Doug paled. "Split up?" He immediately moved to grab something in his pocket. The gesture was not lost on Jay but he had no time to try and guess what it was about. "Are you sure that's the best idea?"

"It'll be _fine_ ," Jay insisted. "I'll go right and you go left." It was more of a statement than a question. Jay knew, in these kinds of situations, it was better to give a command than offer a suggestion to one's soldiers-- _ahem_ , solider--even if Doug wasn't exactly... _designed..._ for battle--Jay stopped there with a sigh. Forget the war analogy. It didn't work in this situation.

Before the boy could come up with another reason to freak out, Jay turned and sprinted for the trees.

As he hurried over the large roots and huge ferns, he searched for any clues that might help him find the pirates. He was sure there would be some. Uma's crew never went anywhere without making their mark. The question was...what was it? "Uma!" he yelled into the stillness. "Hook! Gil! Anybody out here?"

An owl gave an irritated hoot from the trees.

Jay slid between the trees, eyeing the leafy canopy warily. There were so many ways one could blend into their surroundings. So many ways to sneak up on people and they'd never know what hit them. _Stop thinking like that_ , he scolded himself. _This isn't the Isle. There's no reason to fear an attack like that here._

"Hook! Uma!" Jay yelled again, cupping his hands to amplify his voice. "Someone! Answer me!"

He waited for a minute. Nothing.

"Is anyone out there?" he tried again. "Ben? Carlos? _Lonnie_?"

A bush gave a sudden shake. Jay twirled around, bracing himself for an attack. Who knew what kind of dangerous beasts roamed the forest. Fairy Godmother didn't put protection up against _them_. "Who's there?" Jay snapped, clenching his hands into fists. "Show yourself!"

"Jay!"

There was a flash of brown and a small mutt leaped from the shadows and landed gracefully in front of Jay, panting. Jay blinked. "Dude?" he gasped, recognizing the campus pet wearing what could only be described as Carlos' black and white doggy sweater. "Dude! What are you doing out here? Where's Carlos?" He knelt to scratch the dog behind the ears.

"Wish I knew," Dude replied, shaking his head lazily. "Last I heard, he and Jane were on their way to Fairy's Hill."

Jay grinned, imagining the sunny hill covered with blue and purple violets and, for a moment, he forgot he was supposed to be on a mission. "On a date?"

"What else?" Dude shrugged.

Jay let out a thrilled whoop and did a little jig. "I knew it!" he laughed. "I called it! They are so perfect for each other!"

"Kinda like you and Lonnie, huh?" Dude cut in, scratching his ear innocently.

Jay stopped his victory dance almost instantly. He sighed and readjusted his collar with a look of maturity. "Perhaps," he answered with a grin as though he were checking himself over in a mirror.

"Yipe!" Dude yelped. "Who are you, you Chad impostor, and what have you done with Jay?"

Jay smiled at the mutt's antics. "Come on, Dude," he said, spinning on his heel and beginning to walk off. "Maleficent's free. We've got to find the others and stop her before she destroys Auradon."

Dude trotted after him. "Great! I like easy adventures!"

"Uma! Hook!" Jay began shouting again. "Hello? Anybody there?"

"Octopus lady!" Dude joined in with a howl. "Hook dude! Come out come out wherever you are!" He trotted contentedly beside Jay, tongue rolling in and out of his mouth.

"UMA! HOOK! GIL!"

A clap of thunder shook the heavens. Rain began to pelt down on them. Jay sighed as he was immediately drenched. "Well, that's just _great_. Now I look like a wet dog." He paused, then glanced down at his companion. "No offense..."

"None taken," Dude responded, bounding on ahead of him, not seeming to care that his fur was soaked. He chuckled. "You really do."

Even in the dire situation, Jay couldn't help but grin as he jogged after the animal. Ever since Dude had accidentally eaten Carlos' truth gummy, the mutt had enjoyed voicing everything that came to his mind--even when he really shouldn't.

"So where do you suppose everyone is?" Jay questioned, wiping a mop of long hair out of his eyes. "They can't have simply vanished."

"I don't know," Dude answered honestly. "But I feel it might be in our best interest to find them."

"Yeah."

The two of them darted through the trees. Dude was ahead, racing in through the shrubs. Jay was right behind him, leaping over the same greenery.

"Um...Jay?" Dude's voice suddenly rang out from up ahead. "You might want to come look at this!"

 _What_? Jay sprinted towards the dog's voice. "Dude? What is it? What did you find? Uma and Hook?" _Maybe this won't be so hard after all! Maybe Mal was just overthinking this entire thing._

"No!" Dude's voice was abnormally high. "But you should probably hurry just the same!"

Jay obeyed. He sprang over a loose root and found himself standing in a small clearing. Large oak trees surrounded him on every side. But it was one tree that Dude was sitting at that drew Jay's attention. It was a simple oak. But it was what was engraved on the tree that made his heart stop. "Whoa..." he breathed, eyes widening as he took it all in. "Is that what I think it is?"

"I don't know. What do you think it is? Is it a symbol? It's a symbol isn't it? What does it mean?"

Jay stared at the engraving. It was one he would know anywhere. He'd lived on the Isle after all.

" _Maleficent_."

***

"Mal! MAL! Wait up!"

"EVIE! _RUN_!"

The two girls sprinted down the south wing of the dorms. Mal didn't dare glance over her shoulder, even though she knew Evie was only steps behind her. It was what was behind the bluenett that frightened Mal.

And Mal, daughter of Maleficent, did _not_ frighten easily.

"Where did those things _come from_?" Evie screamed as they rounded a bend and kept running. Behind them, the creatures--huge shadows that had taken the form of wolves and hyena--smashed into the wall, taking off some of the plaster, as they skidded around the corner and charged at them, growling, red eyes brimming with fury.

"I don't know!" Mal yelled back. "But I bet Mom had something to do with it!"

A hyena suddenly lunged past her and landed with a thump on the tiled floor before them. It whipped around, snarling. Mal skidded to a halt and grabbed Evie before she launched herself into the beast's fangs. The purplette promptly dove for a side corridor, pulling her best friend along with her. Some of the wolves leaped at them, missed, and collided. They exploded into a cloud of black smoke.

"Mal...what just happened?" Evie gasped.

"Don't know and no time to try and figure it out right now!" Mal said quickly as the remaining creatures bolted towards them. " _Come on_!" They kept running. Four creatures remained. If they could just reach the end of the corridor...

"Mal! LOOK OUT!"

At Evie's warning, Mal's head shot up just as one of the wolves sprang at her. She turned but, before she had time to even think of a spell, let alone utter it, the creature was already upon her. She fell backwards and hit the ground with a yell.

"MAL!"

Mal didn't expect happened next. One minute she was lying there, the wolf about to tear her to shreds, the next, Evie was standing defensively before her. "Evie..." Mal breathed. "What are you--" She never finished. Evie thrust her hands out in a shoving motion. There was a sonic explosion and the shadows were sent flying backwards where they slammed into several suits of armor and did not rise again, slowly fading to dust.

"Evie--"

"Come on," Evie said hastily, helping Mal up and pulling her after her. "We need to keep moving."

Mal frowned but didn't argue. _What's up with her_? She'd known Evie for the biggest part of her life. This wasn't like her at all and Mal knew for a fact that the Evil Queen's daughter didn't have _any_ powers! "Evie--what was--"

"Nothing," Evie cut her off quickly. "It was nothing."

 _Why is she lying_? Mal felt intrigued. She'd never seen her like this before. "But--"

" _Mal_ ," Evie sighed and twirled to face her with a scowl. " _Please_. It's nothing. Don't tell the others. Especially Doug."

"But why?" Mal pressed.

"Because..." Evie looked about ready to cry. "It's hard enough for us now, you know? He's Dopey's son and I'm the daughter of the Evil Queen. Our families are arch nemeses. We both want to bring peace but I'm afraid this could destroy everything." She turned away before Mal could say anything else and fled down the corridor, leaving her friend behind in the dust.

Mal scowled, trying to piece together all the information she'd just received. Evie was clearly terrified of something. But what? And why keep it from all of them, Mal especially? The two girls had been inseparable for years. What could be so terrifying that Evie felt she couldn't come to Mal about it?

She didn't know the answers to any of these questions but there was one thing she'd known for sure.

In the one brief moment that Evie had looked at Mal, her eyes had flashed orange.


	6. Seeing Black and White

When the storm hit, Carlos was only moments away from blabbing his entire life story to Jane. 

The two had left early that morning and had made several detours (the Enchanted Lake, the Wishing Well, and the Museum)before finally arriving at their destination--Fairy's Hill. It had been Carlos' first time to come and Jane had happily filled him in on all of the important history (who knew this was the original home of Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather?). Carlos had listened to her as she went on and on at a blistering speed. Now, while that would have been a major turnoff for most guys, Carlos actually _enjoyed_ listening to her. There was so much he had yet to learn and he wanted to know it all.

They'd settled underneath a large willow and their picnic stuff had been spread out before them. Sandwiches, fruit, and a large tray of chocolate and peanut butter cups (those were mostly for Carlos) all neatly organized and waiting to be devoured. 

"So..." Carlos began nervously as he leaned against the trunk, eating chocolate with one hand and petted Dude with the other. "This place is pretty incredible, huh?"

"It is," Jane said quietly, giving him a small smile. "Carlos, thanks for bringing me here." She stroked Dude's head shyly. "I think I can safely say that this is the best first date I've ever had."

"Yeah...mine too. Um...Jane? What...what exactly do you...er... _do_...on a date?"

Jane shrugged. "I guess we just talk."

"Okay...er...what should we talk about?"

"Honestly," Jane said with a small smile. "I think we could talk about anything." As she spoke, a distant rumble of thunder could be heard. Her smile faded. "What's _that_?" She sat up and glanced over her shoulder nervously at the dark clouds building on the horizon. 

"The...thunder?" Carlos questioned, twisting around to follow her gaze. Dude glanced up too and gave a small growl, fur bristling slightly. "Yeah...Jane...it's far off. There's nothing really to worry about..."

"What's thunder?" 

Carlos blinked, jaw dropping. "It's...it's...thunder." He struggled to explain it. "You know? It's when lightning splits a cloud in half and the two halves slam back together..."

Jane just looked confused.

"You've...never heard of thunder?" 

She shook her head, wide-eyes. "No, I haven't. Is it dangerous?"

"The thunder? No. The lightning? Yes."

Another rumble of thunder. This one was accompanied by a sudden downpour as the sky above them instantly darkened. Carlos yelped and instantly scrambled to his feet and began gathering up the food and shoving it back into the basket. "That's not good..."

"Why?" Jane stood up too. "What's going on? What is this water?"

"Rain," Carlos answered. He backed up beside Jane, underneath the safety of the willow, and flung his wet mop of hair out of his eyes irritably. How dare the storm mess up their perfectly good date? "But I didn't think it rained here..."

"It doesn't," Jane responded. "It hasn't for _years_!"

"Well, that can't be good," Carlos muttered. If it was raining in Auradon, that must have meant the weather spell over the kingdom was down. And since there was only one person powerful enough to do this... "I'm sorry, Jane," he said suddenly. "But something's come up. I...I have to go. Can...can I see you later?"

Jane nodded, understanding completely. "Of course," she told him. "Just tell me when, okay?" She gave him a small smile and turned to leave, Dude at her heels.

Carlos sighed, disappointed, and grabbed the picnic basket, preparing to take off into the trees back towards Evie's. Maybe the others could make more sense of what was going on than he could. 

"Carlos! Jane! Wait up!"

They paused and turned, blinking through the rain, to see Doug jogging towards them, looking even more drenched than them if that was even possible. And, by the look of it, he'd been running for quite a while.

"Carlos?" Jane whispered, hurrying up to the white-haired boy. "What's going on? Doug, why are you here?"

"Yeah, I'd like to know that too," Carlos admitted. He frowned, watching as Doug finally caught up to them and took off his glasses in the miserable attempt to dry them off. It was pointless, as Carlos could have told him, to find any part of his shirt that wasn't soaked by rain or sweat. "Let me guess, Evie sent you to eavesdrop on our date, right? Come on, Doug, fess up. We caught you. Game's over."

"N--no!" Doug protested. "Evie didn't send me!" He paused for a moment to rethink that statement. "Well, actually, she _did,_ but not for the reason you're thinking! Carlos, everyone's _gone_! Disappeared! It's Maleficent!" 

The force of those few words were enough to make Carlos want to faint right then and there. _Maleficent_? How was that even possible? Wasn't Maleficent a lizard? Was this some kind of cruel _joke_? "Are you _serious_?" he demanded. "Where are Mal, Evie, and Jay? Why aren't they here? Why are _you_ here?"

"They're fine," Doug assured him, not looking at all offended. "But Ben is missing. Mal and Evie have gone to look for him. Jay went to find Uma and her pirates."

"Okay," Carlos nodded, his mind kicking into high gear. This _wasn't_ a joke. This was the real deal. "So here's what we're going to do. Doug, take Jane back to the school. Make sure she gets there. Then meet us at Evie's. Dude, go find Jay and tell him to meet us there too. I'll get Mal and Evie." He readjusted his headphones and sighed, his gaze meeting Jane's. "I'm sorry," he said to her. "Duty calls." He waved a hand helplessly. 

"It's okay," she told him. "Go find our friends."

Their gazes locked for another minute or two and then Carlos turned and took off towards the woods. As he ran, his mind flashed into overdrive. With the barrier down, they'd anticipated trouble from some of the villains but never Maleficent being released! Who could have done such a thing? Who would _want_ to free the evil fairy? And if Maleficent was back, did that mean other villains had come as well? His mother?

A chill ran up and down his spine at the thought of Cruella showing up at his front door. The woman wasn't exactly--evil--but she was definitely insane. Maybe there was something Fairy Godmother could do about that? He'd have to remember to ask her later. 

Lightning illuminated the sky. Carlos kept running. He didn't stop. If Auradon was in danger, he wanted to be there to help. "Mal! Evie!" he yelled as he ran. "Ben! Jay! Uma! Harry! Gil!" None of his friends answered him--or perhaps they couldn't. He blinked away the rain and tears threatening to blind him and ran harder.

_I wonder if the others know what's going on._

_If it is really Maleficent, then how are we supposed to stop her?_

There was a roar. And it wasn't thunder. Confused, Carlos glanced up towards the heavens. His eyes widened as a flaming object came barreling towards him. Carlos screamed. He shielded his eyes as the UFO slammed into the earth just over the next ridge. 

_What was that? Maleficent_? 

If it was, Carlos might have been the only one to see her. He had to keep her there until the others could arrive. He glanced at his phone. No service. How wonderful. He groaned.

 _Great. Guess it's up to me_. 

He moved swiftly towards the hill. He carefully climbed the ridge, keeping himself firmly behind the shield of trees and shrubs. He wanted to stay hidden--especially if it _was_ Maleficent out there.

He reached the top of the hill a few moments later, a bit winded but overall all right. And then he gazed down at the clearing, gasping at what he saw. 

The entire clearing had been obliterated. Trees littered the ground and a huge trench had been formed across the meadow. The first thing that came to Carlos' mind was an asteroid. But how likely was that? Carlos gulped and slowly began to pick his way down the opposite side into the wreck. _What is all of this_? Suddenly he wished he'd brought his laptop with him so he could have analyzed a sample of the dirt. _Okay. Let's see. The ground is scorched and, by the size of the impact, the rock couldn't have been any more than a meter in diameter._

He knelt down beside the wreck and ran a hand over the dirt. 

And that was when he noticed an orange glow from underneath a mound of dirt. _What's that?_ Curious, he quickly brushed off the top layer of dirt, revealing a small orange stone, shining brilliantly as Carlos reached for it. He blinked. He'd seen this before! _Is this-_ -

The stone glowed brighter as he grabbed it. His eyes widened and he nearly dropped it as it began to sizzle and pop.

_Oh no! It is! It's a--_

That was as far as he got. The stone gave one final hiss and the entire clearing was enveloped in flames.

***

Jane stopped and turned towards the sound with a frown. "What was that?"

Ahead of her, Doug skidded to a halt and came back with a frown. "What?" he questioned, peering over her head towards the forest beyond. There was no denying the quiver in his voice and Jane did her best to ignore it.

"That noise," she explained. "Didn't you hear it? What if it was Carlos? What if he's in danger? What if he's _hurt_?"

Doug swallowed hard. "Come on," he said, putting an arm around her shoulders and leading her away. "We should get inside." 

They headed up the marble steps leading to the school. It was kind of eerie, Jane had decided, not seeing anyone at all. "Are you concerned about the others?" she questioned as they went inside and headed straight for her dorm. 

Doug nodded. "Of course I am. But they can handle themselves. This isn't the first time they've faced down Maleficent, remember?"

They rounded a bend and hurried down the corridor towards the girl's dorms. "Yeah," Jane sighed. "You're right." She glanced down at her phone worriedly. "I should try to call him..."

"And say what?" he questioned, biting back his irritation. "Carlos will be _fine_ , Jane. I'm going to meet up with Evie and the others. I'll text you as soon as he gets there, all right?"

Jane gave a weak grin and held up her phone as they reached her dorm and she headed inside. "Please do. Oh? And Doug?" She paused, the door halfway closed. "Take care of everyone." With that, she closed the door, leaving him standing alone in the dark hall. 

Doug sighed and turned back to come the way he'd come. As he started off, he pulled the small gem from his pocket, turning it over and investigating it from all angles. He still didn't know what it was or how he'd gotten a hold of it. It wasn't like any rock he'd ever seen in the mines before. It wasn't a lapis lazuli. It was too white for that. But it was tinted too blue to be a diamond. Not mention it was hardly any bigger than a beetle. Granted, a large beetle. But a beetle nonetheless. 

_Evie will know_ , he told himself. He had to show it to the others and he would tell them about the dream. They had to know. Maybe it was important. Even if it was just a nightmare, he felt they needed to know. _Evie._ He shuddered, recalling the bloodthirsty look in her eyes. He prayed desperately that she'd never turn on Auradon--on _him_. It had been a nightmare, _right_? Why did the ache in his heart tell him that it could still happen?

His phone suddenly buzzed. Taking it out of his bag, he quickly read the message. It was from Jay.

_Uma and her crew are nowhere to be found. Something strange is going on around here. I found something that I think everyone needs to see._

A moment passed and then a second message came in, this one from Mal. 

_We found Ben and I agree. Something weird happened to us as well. Everyone, meet back at Evie's to regroup and plan our next move._

Doug sighed and tucked his phone into his pocket. _Well, at least they found Ben_. At least that was one. It may not have been everyone but at least it was a start. Once more his mind circled back around to the dream. 

_I have to tell them. I can't keep it a secret forever. They need to know. It might be important._

And with that mind set, he hurried off down the corridor towards Evie's.


	7. You All Have Your Missions

Evie sat patiently near the front door. Doug sat beside her, watching as she stitched and sowed profusely. She always did this when something was on her mind. She created and created until her problems were dealt with or she collapsed from exhaustion. Whichever came first. He couldn't imagine what could have upset her so badly. Sure, Maleficent was back. But _still_. He'd never seen her as upset as she was now.

And, he glanced at the others, clearly the feeling was mutual.

Mal growled, stalking back and forth across the room. Every so often, her eyes would flash green, warning everyone that she might transform into a dragon at any moment. She kept glaring in Evie's direction but the two girls had hardly said more than a word to one another since they arrived.

Ben was standing uncomfortably between them. It was entirely possible that he knew what was bothering them. Doug was half tempted to ask him. But even as he started to rise, one look from Mal had him quickly sinking back into his seat. Whatever was going on, he really wanted no part of it.

Jay sat, arms crossed, near the window. He was scowling. Though what he was so upset about, no one seemed to know. It was unusual to see him so unnerved.

Mal thumped down on a bench irritably. "Where's Carlos?" she snapped. "He should have been here an hour ago!"

"Maybe he found another stray dog," Jay suggested sarcastically.

Both Mal and Evie shuddered noticeably.

"I'm sure he'll be along shortly," Ben said, attempting to ease the tempers. "But," he added in a whisper to Mal. "Perhaps we should go on ahead without him."

The purplette grunted and finally seemed to control her irritation, coming to stand in the center of the room. Her gaze drifted from one teen to the next, intentionally skipping over Evie, Doug noticed. There was hurt there. But what had happened? He'd seen the two of them frustrated at one another many times but never enough so that they weren't speaking. "First off," Mal sighed. "I wanted to assure everyone that all students at Auradon Prep are safe. Fairy Godmother took them off campus to a secure location."

"And Uma?" Jay questioned.

"Safe," Ben assured him. "I sent her and her pirates to assist in the protection of Queen Leah's family. If Maleficent really is back, we figured it would be better for them to have some protection."

Evie gave a small nod of agreement. She never looked up from her work, however.

"So what's the plan?" There was a voice from outside and suddenly, Lonnie and Jane burst through the door. Lonnie, dressed in black leather armor with two swords on her back, Jane, just in her plain blue dress.

Doug's jaw dropped. Hadn't he just taken Jane home? What was she doing here? "Jane..." he began.

She just shook her head. "I want to help," she told him. "Whatever is going on, I want to be a part of it."

Mal looked doubtful. Or maybe she was just feeling sour. It was a bit difficult to tell. She sighed and brushed a loose strand of hair out of her eyes.

"All right!" Ben exclaimed, clapping to get their attentions. "So, Lonnie's right. We need a plan. Maleficent probably won't let the VKs anywhere near her. So how are we supposed to find her?"

"Oh, I can handle that part," Mal told him. "Dragons can sense other dragons and all that." She shrugged. "But there's something else I'm going to need if you want me to do this."

"What?" Jay questioned. "Is it another spell? Because, last I checked, your spell book was locked away in the museum."

"Yeah," Lonnie agreed. "Do we need to break in and get it?" She seemed frighteningly excited about the concept.

Jane's eyes widened. "Oh no!" she pleaded. "Mom would _kill_ me!"

Mal shook her head, giving the girl a faint smile. "No. No spells. This is something different. Something...older...the secret behind all of my mother's power. It's called--"

"Dragonfire."

Everyone turned. There, standing in the doorway, covered from head to toe in smoke, was Carlos.

Mal's eyes enlarged and her gaze fell on a small orange jewel shimmering in his hand. "Carlos...where'd you find that?"

Carlos shrugged and tossed it to her. She caught it and instantly began looking it over. "I think it's one of yours," Carlos explained. "It's a Dragonfire isn't it?"

"It is," Mal confirmed. "But where did you find it?"

"In the forest," the boy responded. "Not too far from Fairy's Hill."

"I'm sorry," Ben interrupted. "But what's a Dragonfire? And why does Carlos look like one of his inventions just exploded in his face?"

"Because the Dragonfire probably did," Mal answered simply. "This is the Flame Stone. It erupts when touched."

"Cool!" Jay grinned.

"But what exactly _is_ it?" Ben repeated. "Is it something from the Isle?"

"Er...sort of. There are actually six Dragonfires. They are the source of all of Maleficent's power. The red stone has the power of time. The purple stone gives the user the ability of flight. Silver is the power of visions. Orange is flame. Blue is water. And green controls nature. Put them together and you have one incredible weapon of destruction."

"And separately?" Evie finally spoke up, glancing up from her work, needle between her teeth.

"Each stone is powerful in itself," Mal answered. "Enough so to corrupt even the purest of heroes." An uncomfortable silence fell over the group. "Which is why we need to find them before my mother does."

"And how do we do that?" Jay asked.

Mal closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "The red stone is in Agrabah. Green is in Cinderella's castle. Purple is here on the campus..."

"And blue?" Ben questioned.

Mal shuddered. "Blue is on the Isle."

"Okay," Jay said, cracking his knuckles. "That shouldn't be too bad. We could easily slip in there." He put his arm around Lonnie, just imagining it. "Snatch the stone and be gone before anyone's the wiser."

Lonnie nodded, looking ready. She'd been to the Isle before after all.

But Mal was shaking her head. "No. Jay, you and Lonnie go after red. I think Evie should go for blue."

" _Me_?" Her head shot up in shock. "Why _me_? Why not Carlos? Or _Jay_?"

"Because I already gave Jay a stone," Mal responded coldly. "And Carlos has his."

"So sorry," Lonnie interrupted again. "But you said there were six Dragonfires. But you only told us where five of them are."

Mal nodded. "You're right. And that's because the sixth is already here."

Doug felt himself starting to shrink as the startled exclamations exploded around him.

"How?" Jay demanded.

"Who?" Jane added.

 _She knows_ , Doug realized. _Mal knows I have the stone_. A Dragonfire. That's why he couldn't determine what kind of gem it was. Because it wasn't one at all! _How did she know?_ _Should I confess? Explain how I found it?_

He didn't have to. Out of nowhere, Mal's gaze snapped to him, her eyes flashing in surprise. Everyone saw this and turned towards him as well. Evie was, not surprisingly, the most shocked out of all of them.

Doug sighed. "I thought this was a jewel," he explained, pulling out the stone and holding it out to Mal. "But I guess it's yours so..."

"No." Mal shook her head. "Keep it. It chose you. Besides, you can use it to find the blue Dragonfire. Carlos," she added, not looking back. "You hold onto yours as well. You and Jane should go with Ben to find green. I'll stay here and look for purple."

"Wait..." Evie began. "You just said Doug could help look for the blue stone. He's _not_ coming with me!"

Mal gave a small smile. "Why not?"

Evie glared. "It's the _Isle_ , Mal! Reformed or no, it wouldn't be safe for a hero's kid! Let Doug go with Jane and Ben and Carlos can come with me!"

"Actually..." Doug mumbled. "I think I'd rather stay here." He shot a glance toward Evie nervously. It was evident that she agreed with him.

"No," Mal shook her head. "Trust me. The two of you should go." There was something in her tone, something that suggested she might have ulterior motives but he couldn't begin to guess what they might be.

Doug sat there uncomfortably as the two girls glared once more. He wanted so badly to make a corny joke and lighten the mood. Somehow, he had the feeling he'd only make matters worse.

"Okay," Ben tried once more to break the unfriendly silence. "So, the green Dragonfire is Charmington, right?"

Mal nodded. "Yes. And if you ask Chad, he might be able to help you. And, if it's all right with you, I'll come along too. I believe Fairy Godmother might know the location of the purple Dragonfire."

Ben nodded. "Right. So...I'll go get ready. Carlos and Jane, can you guys be ready in an hour?"

"Yeah." Carlos nodded.

"Of course," Jane added. They both stood up and headed towards the door. "We'll meet you back at the school." With that, they were gone.

"Well, we'd better get moving too," Jay announced as he and Lonnie prepared to leave. "Lonnie? Do you need anything?"

"Nope!" Lonnie answered. "I've already packed! Ready to go!"

"Nice!" Jay closed the door behind them.

Now only four remained. Ben coughed, stepping between Mal and Evie as the glaring continued. "Well, okay then. Mal?" He wrapped an arm around her. "You ready?" He gave Doug a desperate look. He obviously had no more idea what was going on than the dwarf did.

Mal sighed and gave Evie one last look. The bluenett ignored her. "Yeah," she said. "Let's go."

And then they were all alone. Evie let out a hefty sigh. Doug watched her in concern and slid closer. He tried to hug her but she pulled away. He frowned. "Evie, what's wrong?"

Tears sparkled in her eyes and she set her work down. "Nothing," she growled.

"Evie, come on," Doug persisted. "Talk to me. What is it? What's bothering you?"

"It's _nothing_!" Evie stood up quickly. Anger flashed across her features. "Why does _everyone_ keep _asking_ me that?" She stomped towards the garden.

Doug chased after her. "Evie? Evie, wait!" He grabbed her arm just as she reached for the door and twisted her around to face him. "Evie, what's going on? You're not acting like yourself! You and Mal have obviously fought. I'm here. Do you want to talk about it?"

"No!" She yanked away from his grip. "I'm _fine_! Nothing's wrong with me! Just leave me alone!"

Doug lurched back, stung. "Evie..." he began but she was already gone.

* * *

She slammed the door shut behind her and stormed out through the flowers. She could feel Doug's hurt gaze following her, burning into her back, and it only made her want to cry more. How dare Mal accuse her of hiding magic? Just because Maleficent had magic and Mal had inherited it from her, did _not_ mean that Evie had gotten any of Evil Queen's! And then Mal suggesting Doug coming with her to the Isle. Didn't she realize how dangerous that would be? Did she not remember what happened to Ben? And the king was _at_ _least_ a half believable actor! He couldn't come with her! She wouldn't allow it!

There was a slam of the door and she couldn't help but turn as her boyfriend hurried after her. "Evie?" Doug whispered. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to upset you!"

Wiping away her tears, Evie let him catch up and tried to fake a smile. "I'm sorry too," she replied, hearing the words being forced out of her. It was like she didn't want to say them. But why? "And I'm sorry that I yelled at you. You didn't do anything."

Doug smiled and he held out his hand. She took it and they walked back towards the house. "There's no reason to apologize," he said gently. "I know you don't want to go back to the Isle without the others. And I know I'm not Jay or Mal or Carlos but..."

"Stop," Evie interjected, really meaning it now. "Sit." She pointed to a chair. He obeyed and she sat down across from him. "It's not because of the Isle. Well, okay, it kind of is. It's just...we brought some VKs over and, that was a good start, but, there are so many villains who don't want to be good and, honestly, it's still dangerous even for the four of us to go back."

"You're worried about your mother, right?" Doug guessed. "Evil Queen?"

Evie nodded. "Yes. News travels fast on the Isle. The second we arrive, my mom will know and..."

"And you don't want to see her," he finished knowingly. And then, in a quieter voice, "Is she really that--"

"Vain?" Evie sighed. "Yes."

"Er...I was going to say _evil_ but..."

"She's that too," Evie agreed. "And since it appears you're coming with me, I suppose there are some things you should know beforehand. First, the people on the Isle are not friendly and they don't like strangers."

"Got it."

"Second, don't speak unless you're spoken to. No one is interested in making idle conversation. Unless I say otherwise, keep your head down. We don't want to draw any unneeded attention to ourselves."

"Okay?"

"Third, don't say 'hello' or 'thank you' or 'please' unless you want to lose a limb."

Doug paled tremendously.

"Oh, and one more thing," Evie looked him up and down. "There's _no way_ you're going anywhere looking like _that_."


	8. Welcome to the Isle

"We're here," Evie breathed. 

The Isle of the Lost loomed before them. Storm clouds were building overhead and lightning flashed constantly over the blackened city. Even the bridge, which was crystal white, seemed out of place. On one half was the spotless cut stone and on the other was the black rock and graffiti. Though they both belonged to the same kingdom, their lifestyles were blatantly different. 

"This is the Isle?" Doug gasped from her right. He was slowly turning in circles, trying to digest what he was seeing before they'd even entered the city. "It's..."

"Hideous?" Evie helped. She watched him and was silently proud of her work. Gone were the fancy clothes and spotless tennis shoes. Instead of his typical blue and gold band uniform, he was dressed in black jeans (with several rips near the knees) and a dark blue shirt with a black leather jacket. He also wore his baseball cap (backwards because he thought that made him look more like a VK somehow, though how he managed to get it over his long hair was still a mystery to Evie) and his glasses (which he'd refused to give up though Evie had repeatedly warned him that they'd get broken, stolen, or, more likely, _both_ ).

"Well, I was going to say _attractively unappealing_ ," Doug responded, wrinkling his nose at the foul odor of rotten fish coming from the direction of the harbor. "But I like your word for it better."

Evie grimaced as she gazed out at the wreck she'd once called home. Even from where she stood, she could see the looming structure of her mother's castle. She shuddered. How long would it take for the news to spread that she was home? And there was _no way_ Evil Queen could meet Doug. She'd incinerate him for not being a prince and then obliterate whatever was left for being a dwarf. 

Evie clutched her heart pendant tighter. Doug noticed this and moved closer to hold her hand, squeezing it tightly. "Is that your castle?" he questioned, following her gaze. It took Evie a moment to realize what he was asking and doing.

"Yes," she answered. "Though I'm not sure you could really call it a castle. The cottage is a hundred times nicer." She took a deep breath. "Now, Doug, you remember what I told you?"

"Sure," he nodded. "No talking. No 'please' and 'thank you' and certainly _certainly_ no smiling _whatsoever_." He immediately frowned deeply and glared at her over the tops of his lenses.

Evie giggled. _Wrinkles!_ Her mother's shrill pushed its way into her mind. She winced. She still couldn't believe she was going back after all this time. And it wasn't like the other times with the others. This time the fate of Auradon rested squarely on her shoulders. 

And she really _really_ didn't want to mess it up. 

She could just hear the villains' voices in her head as the four of them dove for the limousine that first day. 

_"Bring home the gold!"_

_"Bring home a puppy!"_

_"Bring home a_ prince _!"_

 _A prince_. Evie shuddered. No, she hadn't found a prince. And she'd tried. She really had. But, other than Ben, the only prince had been Chad. And they had been entirely incompatible. She'd never imagined herself as one to fall for a band geek--let alone the son of her mother's enemies. How would she ever be able to tell Evil Queen? The answer was simple. She wouldn't. If it meant choosing between her mother and keeping Doug safe, the choice was obvious. But still...she couldn't help the feeling that, one way or another, her two worlds were about to collide. And things were about to get messy.

"Evie?" Doug waved a hand in front of her face. "You all right?"

She blinked, snapping out of her trance. "Yes. Yes, of course. You ready for this?" She took in his appearance once more. It was hard to imagine him as ever being an Auradon kid now. Even for her. 

Doug risked a small smirk. "Are _you_?" 

Evie sighed and flicked her gaze from him back towards the dark city. "To be honest, no. I'm scared of what we might find in there. And we don't have any idea where the Dragonfire is, right? The Isle is _huge_. We could be here for _days_ and still find nothing. And then Mom will definitely know you're here..."

" _Evie_ ," Doug looked right at her. "Don't worry about me, okay? I can take care of myself. You just focus on finding that Dragonfire."

"Yeah..." Evie wasn't one hundred percent convinced. "Speaking of which," she added, attempting to change the subject. "You still have yours right?"

He fished around in his pocket for a second before pulling it out to show to her. It was shimmering an unusual shade of white. Evie guessed this was because it was so close to its home. "Okay. Now, whatever you do, watch out for pickpockets," she warned him. "The last thing we want is for someone to take it. Especially now."

He nodded. 

Evie sighed once more and put her hands on her hips. "All right. Let's go." And with that, she marched towards the entrance to the city. Doug rolled his eyes slightly and followed. 

The Isle was just as she remembered it. Dark. Dank. And _cold_. And she wasn't just talking about the temperature. If looks could kill, they both would have dropped dead moments upon arrival. To Evie, this was normal. On the Isle, to be good was bad and to be bad was good. No doubt many of the villains had watched what had happened with Audrey and had heard Ben's proclamation to let Uma, Gil, Harry, and Hades stay in Auradon. Maybe some would be more friendly now.

But, then again, maybe not. 

As they passed through the grimy market, eyes seemed to stare at them from everywhere. Angry eyes. Doug clearly was feeling the hate as he moved closer to Evie, trembling. He was really out of his element here. One look told Evie that he was ready to turn tail and run. But it was too late for that. They were here. And they had a mission to complete. 

Another problem. With both Uma and Mal gone, who had taken over their old hood? She could think of a couple of villains that would love to gain control of the Isle. Scarlett, Scar's daughter. Silva, John Silver's son. And Queenie, the Queen of Hearts' daughter. She had to hope that none of them had taken over. 

"Hey, Evie? What's this?"

She whipped around, sighing as she found Doug investigating a small container filled with some kind of green substance. "Oh no. No no no no _no_." She grabbed him firmly by the shoulders and steered him away. "Frog slime," she explained. "Good for warts. Really, you don't want anything anyone's selling. It's either not worth it or fake."

"Frog s-slime?" Doug looked utterly repulsed.

"Yeah, come on." Evie led him away. "Stay close," she told him. "We're attracting too much attention."

"I think it might just be you," Doug responded. "You are...rather eye-catching...if you know what I mean." He waited for some sort of remark from her. Instead of giving him the satisfaction, she simply smirked and kept moving. 

They maneuvered through the back streets, ignoring the vendors who called out to them. Doug watched them pityingly. He readied into his pockets for the little bit of spare change he always carried on him. Evie watched cautiously as he handed the dollar and a half to a huddled mass. She waited until he hurried back over before speaking. "That was...sweet..." _And it probably just made us a billion times more noticeable_. "Come on, let's...keep looking." 

They passed Ursula's restaurant and Maleficent castle. Evie tensed and practically ran past the latter, struggling to hold back the wave of memories. They ducked past several smaller houses and old witches out for a stroll before finally passing through one last alley.

"We're here," she told him, eyeing the small two story building and the sign that said 'Beware Flying Rocks'. 

"Where's here?" Doug questioned, staring at the structure, unsure what to make of it. It was indeed very different than what anyone would see in Auradon. 

"This is our secret hideout," Evie explained as she picked up a rather good sized rock and chucked it at the sign. A moment later, said sign swung backwards, releasing a series of triggers that raised the gate to allow them in. "Come on, I'll show you around!" With that, she took off for the steps. She was already halfway to the top by the time Doug caught up to her. 

"This is like a tree-house, right?" he asked as Evie opened the door and the two of them went inside. "Minus the trees of course." 

Evie inhaled deeply and let it all out in one burst. It felt good to be back. The familiarity of the simple white walls (now covered with Mal's artwork) and the four hammocks, one it each corner. It had truly been her home away from home for the first sixteen years of her life. And it was still only known by a few of the villain's...allies. Her mother would never think to look for them there.

"This place is incredible!" Doug exclaimed, vaulting over the railing to the lower deck. Then, he spotted the hammocks. "Can I?"

Evie shrugged. "Suit yourself."

While the dwarf was busy goofing off, Evie focused her attention on a small closet across the room. It was located between two of Mal's life-sized murals. Inside was the most powerful weapon next to Maleficent's staff or Hades' ember...Evil Queen's spell book. The source of all of her mother's power tightly bound in two thick covers. If anything could tell her where the Dragonfire was, this was it. 

She quickly scanned through the pages which were still bookmarked. _Transform into an old_ _woman...poison an apple.._.she couldn't help but glance back at Doug who was relaxing peacefully in Jay's old hammock. These were the spells Evil Queen had used years ago. Maybe these could come in handy later. She had no desire to turn into a hag but, the poisoned apple...one could never be to careful...

"Ah!" she gasped as a sharp pain shot through her head. She felt weak suddenly and stumbled backwards, the spell book tumbling out of her hands. 

"Evie? EVIE!" 

She felt her body falling towards the floor. She heard frantic footsteps as Doug ran towards her. As fast as the migrane had come on, it was gone, and she found herself lying on her back on the floor. Doug reached her side a moment later. "Doug...?" she groaned.

"Evie! What happened? Are you all right?" 

"I...I think so. What happened?"

Doug helped her up and then, both their attentions swiveled to the spell book. "Anything helpful in that _thing_?" Doug whispered fearfully. It didn't take a genius to guess that he'd recognized it. 

Evie shook her head slowly, stunned. Without warning, she turned and stormed off into another room.

"Do you have any idea where the Dragonfire would be?" Doug puffed, hurrying after her. "Can you...sense it or...something?" 

Evie smiled grimly. "That's not how magic works. But that's not a terrible idea, actually." She stopped, blinking, struggling to see suddenly. "The Dragonfire!" she hissed. "Mal said you could use your Dragonfire to find mine!" She waited eagerly as he fumbled to find the jewel. He held it in his hand. It sparkled slightly but that was mostly from the dim light. They both waited. Nothing happened. "Er...why isn't it working?"

"I don't know."

Evie blinked. "Don't know? What do you _mean_ , 'don't know'?"

"Well, it's not exactly like these things come with instructions," he retorted.

"Okay, that's fair." Evie took a deep breath and ran a hand through her hair. "Let's think about this a little. How did you find the stone in the first place?"

"It's a bit hard to explain," Doug sighed. "It just...appeared."

"All right. So maybe you just need to concentrate a bit more."

Doug nodded and closed his eyes. The stone crackled and began to glow. Evie watched if for a moment and then looked at Doug's face. It was evident the boy was trying hard. "That's it," Evie whispered. "You're doing it!" A moment later, the light popped and faded back to nothing. Evie couldn't hide her disappointment as Doug opened his eyes and looked at her apologetically. 

"Sorry."

"It's...it's all right," Evie sighed. "I guess we'll just have to keep looking." She _hated_ the idea. The longer they were there, the more likely it was they'd be caught. 

"Well, well, well, look who it is."

Evie gasped and whipped around, instinctively pushing Doug against the wall behind her as she narrowed her eyes at the tall red haired girl who stood, blocking their exit. Though she definitely seemed more dangerous than the last time Evie had seen her, there was not a doubt in her mind who this was. "Hello, Queenie." She gave the Queen of Hearts' daughter a fake smile. "It's been a while. Miss me?"

The girl gave an innocent but sickly grin as the twirled her trademark knife between her fingers. "I though you were gone for good," she responded coldly. "What happened? Auradon kick the perfect princess out?"

"Hmmm...no," Evie pretended to think. "I guess I just got tired of all the colors. And the _beautiful dresses_ were simply _too much_." The sarcasm dripped from her words.

Queenie gave a stiff laugh. "Evie Queen, _tired_ of _perfect Auradon_? I don't think so." She stopped twirling the blade and pointed it at them. "So, let's try again. Why are you _actually_ here?"

"Evie," Doug hissed. "What's going on? Who is this?"

Queenie's gaze flicked from Evie to the cowering boy behind Evie. "And...who's this?" She smiled wickedly and lightly sidestepped Evie and came to stand before Doug, pointing the blade at his chest in case either one of them got any ideas about running. "Haven't seen you around here before," she sneered. "And I know _everyone_ in the Isle. You must be one of those Auradon brats. Nice try. But I know Evie's handiwork anywhere."

"Leave him alone, Queenie," Evie snapped, drawing the girl's attention once more. "Just tell me what you want and we'll be on our way." She grabbed Doug's arm and pulled him after her as she started to take a step forwards.

"Nah ah ah," Queenie interjected, stepping back in front of them and blocking their hasty retreat. "What's the rush? It's been so long, Evie. Don't you want to catch up?"

 _Not really_. "No. Now, if you'll excuse us...we've got places to be. Come on, Doug."

"STOP!" Queenie snapped. She threw a dagger. It planted itself into the wall inches from Doug's head. Evie froze. Queenie smiled wickedly. "I'm glad your back, E. And I'm sure your mother is too. Have you seen her yet? She's certainly aware that your here."

"How?" Evie growled. 

Queenie sighed and held up her hand as though investigating something. "Mirror...mirror..." she hissed. 

Evie glared. 

"And I think you both should come with me to see her!" 

"Oh, yeah?" Evie snapped. "And why would we want to do that?" Even as she spoke, she was reaching for something...anything...to use as a weapon. Her spell book was too far away. Not that it would do her any good. She didn't know any of the spells and hardly had the time to cook something up.

Queenie tilted her head slightly. She snapped her fingers. Suddenly, dark shadows broke away from the nooks and crannies of the room. Evie gasped, recognizing them from the school. Behind her, Doug gave a frightened squeak. 

Queenie grinned. "Now, there are two ways we can do this. Come see Evil Queen _now_ or...I can make things a little more...difficult...for the two of you. What do you say?"

Evie glanced from one shadow to another and then to Queenie who seemed far too happy, and finally back at Doug who seemed petrified at the thought of going to see Evie's mother. Evie weighed their odds. One fashion designer and one band geek against one of the most powerful VKs on the Isle and her army of shadows.

Two against fifty. 

_Oh goblins._


	9. Dragonflight

Mal was seething.

Mal hated to seethe.

She also hated having to wait for an _impossibly slow_ group of laughing teenagers to catch up with her.

"Come on!" she growled, angling her wings to swoop once more over her friends as they trudged through the thinning trees below. Of course, they couldn't understand her like this. All they could hear were a bunch of grunts and roars. For some, that was enough to know that she wasn't pleased. After all, come on, was it too much to ask that they walk just a _tiny bit_ faster? It _totally_ wasn't like the world was _going_ to _end_ if they didn't find the Dragonfires before Maleficent. _Can't the lot of you move_ any _faster?_

"Ben," Carlos groaned from the back of the group. "Mal's getting antsy again."

Mal suddenly had the urge to fly down and whack him with one of her extra large wings. _Someone is asking for a nice breath of flames._ She whirled around and glided back past again, eyeing the white-haired boy as he ran to catch up with the others.

"I noticed," Ben replied. "I'll try and talk to her the next time we stop."

 _Make that_ two _someones_.

At least Jane wasn't complaining. Though, that might have been due to her obvious exhaustion. While both Carlos and Ben had a purpose to constantly be in peak physical condition (one playing Tourney and the other having lived on the Isle), Jane didn't. Don't get her wrong, Mal didn't think anything bad of Jane. She just...wasn't the most athletic of all of her friends. _Boy would a bit of Fairy Godmother's magic be wonderful right now_. Mal briefly wondered if Jane could possibly have inherited any of that. That made her think of Evie and she quickly derailed that train of thought. She was sure the bluenette was doing just fine. And, if she were being honest, Mal kind of hoped a trip back to the Isle would help Evie with whatever was going on with her powers. Which she _did_ have. No matter how much she tried to believe otherwise.

Mal slid around a cluster of trees and shot towards the heavens. The sun beat down hard on her back as she did an impatient barrel roll, waiting for the others to catch up once more. Seriously! There had to be a faster way to get to...where was it they were going again? Mal sighed when she realized that Ben had neglected to mention where Fairy Godmother had taken the other students. Of all the important things to know, this had to top that list!

With a growl, Mal pulled her wings up to her sides and dove towards the forest floor, pulling up only at the last moment, sending the three teens leaping backwards to avoid her extended talons as she touched down, giving them a bit of a smug look. _What? Can't you all fly?_ She smirked as she transformed back. _A flying spell. There's something for Jane to work on_.

"Uh...Mal? Would you mind...not doing that again?" Carlos begged.

"Don't bet on it," Mal responded as she focused her petrifying green gaze on Ben. "So, where exactly are we going?"

"One of the White Rabbit's burrows," Ben responded, passing by her. "They're actually a lot larger than most people think. And, it should be just over the next ridge actually." He pointed towards a hill in the distance. "If we hurry, we can be there before sundown."

Mal rolled her eyes. Wasn't that what she'd been saying _all afternoon_? Naturally, when _Ben_ said it, everyone agreed. Mal sighed. It was just one of the perks of being a king, she supposed. But still, she knew she could kick her fiance's royal behind any day at all things magic...everything that was truly cool. Who needed authority and a calm composure when one could have magic? Magic made everything a thousand times better. The awe-inspiring _dragon_ was evidence enough of _that_.

"Uh...you guys?" Jane suddenly spoke up as she hurried up past Carlos who flashed her a surprised look. "Sorry to interrupt but, does anyone else get the feeling that we're being watched?"

Both Ben and Mal stopped at this. Ben cast a worried expression into the forest around them while Mal investigated the sky. Who could be watching them, Mal wondered. Maleficent? Had she found them so quickly? She reached out her dragon senses but felt nothing. If it _was_ Maleficent, how was she hiding herself from them--from Mal-- so well?

"Ben?"

"Yeah. On it." Ben was already moving through the trees at an incredible speed. Even the royal blue of his jacket disappeared into the thick foliage moments later.

Mal turned back to the others. "Stay low," she warned them. "We don't know who's out there. Carlos?"

"Yeah, got it. Jane, this way." He put an arm around her and led her to crouch down beneath a large group of tightly packed trees. "Wait..." he stood back up and looked between Mal and Ben. "What are you guys going to do?"

Mal smirked. "You'll see. Ben!" All ready the transformation had begun. She hastily morphed into her reptilian self and swung around just as Ben gave a beast-like roar and sprang onto her back. 

"Go for it, Mal!" he yelled, grabbing a hold of her scales as she reared back, beat her wings, and sprang from the earth. She let out a tremendous roar as they climbed into the air. Her legs raced below her as though she were running on thin air. She felt Ben clinging desperately to her shoulders and she quickly righted herself, not missing the sigh of relief from the king. 

"Do you see anything?" Carlos called up to them. 

Mal swung her head back and forth, scanning the hills and the meadow any signs of life. All she found were a few rapid heartbeats of a burrow of baby bunnies. She shook her head at Ben who relayed her message down to the others. 

"Could it have been a false alarm?" Ben wondered aloud. 

A false alarm? That didn't sound like Jane. The girl was hardly every wrong when she said something. Could this be one of those rare few times? 

Mal didn't think so. This didn't seem like a false alarm. And why wouldn't someone be following them? This was Auradon. Magic wasn't encouraged. So, naturally, if word had somehow spread about a new, powerful kind of magic, no doubt someone would be trying to get their hands on it.

Ben seemed to read her mind. "Can you guys see anything down there?" he shouted.

"No!" Jane responded. "No one's here!"

Mal nodded. _Okay. It was just a false alarm! Those happen!_ She turned to begin her descent...and that was when something smashed into her from behind.

She howled as the surge of power struck her side and her body instantly shut down. Her wings froze up and she began free falling towards the earth. She roared in panic. Not for herself, but for Ben who was struggling to hang on. A dragon could survive this fall...a human couldn't. 

"Ben!" Jane yelled. 

"Mal!" Carlos screamed. 

They both emerged from hiding and stared up at them in horror. Which Mal found particularly annoying all things considered. She dropped helplessly from the air, trying to locate Ben who was no longer on her back. She spotted him free falling a few feet away. _Ben! S_ he fumbled with her wings, trying to right herself and control her dive. She'd done it a thousand times in practice. Why couldn't she do it now? 

A bright blue light flashed by her eyes and exploded into a nearby tree, setting it ablaze almost instantly. Mal twisted around, trying to pinpoint the source of the magic. Somewhere behind them? She didn't really have time for this! Ben! Where was Ben? "BEN!" she screamed, forgetting that no one could understand her. 

Where was he? 

_There_!

Twirling around, Mal pulled in her wings to her side and angled her dive towards him. They were now only hundreds of feet above the earth. This was her last chance. She had to catch him now! She extended her talons, reaching desperately for him. 

Seventy feet.

Sixty. 

Fifty. 

"MAL!" Jane and Carlos screamed together. 

She didn't hear them calling her name. Blood roared through her ears as she neared Ben. He saw her coming and, for some reason, his eyes widened. "Mal!" he yelled over the howling wind. "Behind you!"

She didn't care. She could feel the heat as another spell sped towards her. This was it. There was no time left. 

She lunged.

The spell hit.

Mal yelled as she grabbed Ben and held him close. They plummeted down. Jane and Carlos screamed.

And then they hit the earth.

***

"Jay, are you sure this is the right way?" Lonnie asked for probably the fifteenth time that morning.

"Again, yes. My father was the adviser of this land for years. He never stopped showing me maps of the land. Trust me. We're almost there." 

_Man, right now a magic carpet would be awesome. And maybe a genie to grant us three wishes. Like, where is the Dragonfire? How can we turn all the villains good? And will we win this season's Tourney championship?_

The two of them were walking through a wetland. The air was heavy with mosquitoes and the grass was thick and soupy. And at that moment, the only thing Jay could think was how glad Evie would be to hear that she'd managed to avoid this mess. Which made him think of the others and how their missions were going.

He could only hope his friends were having more luck than they were.


	10. A Vision of Danger

"Keep moving! Come on! _Go_! Honestly, it's like herding a field of cattle!"

Doug stumbled over the uneven pavement, nearly taking out Evie who was trudging reluctantly in front of him. "Could we just--" he began, turning around to face the shadow directly behind him which had taken the form of a lion. Before he could even blink, a trident was shoved at his face. He cringed back in horror.

"No talking!" Queenie snapped again. She paused her triumphant march to glare at them. "Or I'll have to call my mother to deal with you, Auradon boy."

Doug paled. He didn't know which sounded worse. Meeting Evil Queen and dying by some slow curse or decapitation by the Queen of Hearts. Well, at least the latter would be quick. He couldn't believe he was envisioning his own death scenarios. Unconsciously, he reached for the Dragonfire. Maybe it could help them somehow? Maybe even just as a bargaining chip?

Evie saw where his hand was going and shook her head no. He understood her message perfectly. They were going to see the Evil Queen. Death or no, he wasn't to give up the crystal.

 _I'm so dead_.

" _Move_!" Queenie snarled. The shadows shoved them forwards and the lion growled warningly. Doug was rather surprised to learn that the figures actually had mass. Scientifically speaking, that should have been impossible!

So should a kiss that could magically wake someone from eternal slumber so he wasn't going to complain too much.

"Doug, come on." Evie held out her hand and he took it cautiously. He cold feel Queenie's gaze locked on them, along with a spear at his back. And in that moment, all he could think of was how terrible of an idea it had been to come here. He wondered briefly if he'd ever get to see Auradon or his family again. There was no doubt that the Evil Queen would eliminate him the moment she realized who and what he was.

The troop marched solemnly through the dirty streets. Many curious gazes swiveled towards them, likely recognizing Evie and Queenie and wondering what squabble the two of them had gotten into this time. Some of them even looked as though they pitied the two teens being forced through the city. But there was no doubt that the atmosphere had changed. Queenie was in charge of the Isle now and no one dared to speak against her.

They got closer to the black castle. It stood, towering over the smaller, more insignificant huts surrounding it. Doug thought it looked a bit like something out of a horror movie. One look at Evie's face confirmed his suspicions. This was her mother's castle. Evil Queen was waiting for them. Still, the dwarf couldn't help but marvel at the complex design of the structure's mainframe. Though the Islanders didn't have a lot, they were quite resourceful. Unless one were to look closely, it would be difficult to guess that the castle was made mostly out of rocks and spare pieces of metal.

 _Is this where Evie lived_? Doug's gaze scanned the entire building. He knew his girlfriend had been castle-schooled her entire life before coming to Auradon. But was _this_ really where? In such a deserted part of the city? No friends? No magic? No _band_? He wondered how she did it.

He squeezed her hand tightly as they came to the last street and Doug could see a figure standing on a long balcony, waiting, possibly watching them. "Evie?" Doug hissed, his voice cracking terribly. His eyes met the observer's and, even from where he stood, he could feel the violent fury radiating from her. This _had_ to be her. _Evil Queen_. Doug suddenly felt small in so many ways.

"Doug..." Evie began, tightening her grip on his hand for a moment before pulling away sharply. Before he could even ask what she was doing, she had already leaped into action, thrusting her hands forwards. Three shadows were sent flying backwards into the wall and evaporated. "RUN!" Evie yelled as she charged at Queenie.

Doug blinked, stunned. And then, her words kicked in and he realized her plan. He swung into action, using the little bit of self-defense Lonnie had given him to yank the spear from the thing behind him and wield it like a sword against the army. He grit his teeth, sizing up his opponents and running the math through his brain. There were an estimated forty-six shadows remaining, not including Queenie who wasn't a ghost thing. That was twenty-six a piece.

Easy.

One lunged for him from the right. Doug reacted immediately, swinging around and bringing up the spear to meet the shadowy cutlass. They struggled for a moment before Doug lunged backwards, bracing himself for an attack. The shadow threw itself at him. He spun around it and jabbed his weapon into its back.

It exploded into dust and the next batch set in.

Evie suddenly appeared at his side, fending off two at once. "I thought I told you to run!" she snapped, shoving them back with a great force unusual for her.

Doug didn't answer as he ducked a blow from another shadow and punched it hard. To his shock, his hand went right through its head! With a cry of alarm, he yanked his arm back and stared at the thing in horror.

Behind them, Queenie laughed. "I see you've figured out my little secret. What do you think of my shadow henchmen? They can't be harmed by any _normal_ things." She glanced smugly at Doug when she said normal. "Only _magic_ can destroy them. Isn't that right, Evie?"

Evie ignored her and narrowed her eyes. "All right," she said to Doug as they both ducked and dodged the jabbing tridents. "So we need to rethink this. You take left and I'll go right?"

"Sounds good."

They broke apart. Evie dove for a group to the left, her eyes suddenly turning orange. Doug lunged right, slashing and hacking at the shadows as they ran at him. The two worked as a perfect team, taking down the shadows one by one. Meanwhile, Queenie stood off to the side, watching them fight, smirking. Behind her, a figure watched the battle in silence.

In a matter of moments, almost half of the shadows had been vanquished. But the two were beginning to tire as they once more went back to back. "How...many...more...of these things are...there?" Doug gasped, tiredly lifting the spear once more.

"Too many," Evie decided. "We need another plan."

"I'm open to suggestions! _Duck_!" He pulled her down to avoid a long sword as it went whistling over their heads.

Evie glared. "I'll blast them all." Her voice was cold. Even as she spoke, her hands were beginning to shine with an unusual orange glow.

Doug looked at her nervously. What was happening to her? "Erm...maybe not?" He ducked and kicked out, stumbling as his foot vanished for a moment only to reappear on the other side of the shadow. "Oh...right...magic." He quickly jumped back. "Evie, maybe you _should_ blast them." He didn't know what was going on with her. But whatever it was, it seemed to be destroying the creatures. It seemed like their best bet of getting out of there.

She nodded. "Stand back," she ordered. Her eyes flashed orange and she had a look deadly enough to kill. The light intensified and, a moment later, a sonic wave erupted around her, eliminating the entire army in one fell swoop.

Doug shielded his eyes as the wave knocked both Evie and him to the ground.

"NO!" Queenie shrieked. They both spun to face her. She stared at Evie with deadly intent. "You think you can escape?" With that, she reached into her purse and yanked something out.

Evie gasped. Doug stared.

It was a small blue gem. _The Dragonfire_ , Doug realized in horror. _How'd she get a hold of it?_

"This is what you're after, isn't it?" she sneered. Evie froze and Doug lifted his spear threateningly. "Oh, now, now, don't be so hasty. You'll get your little jewel in time." Doug hated the smug grin on the Princess of Heart's face. He didn't trust her as far as he could throw her.

"I have a better idea," Evie snarled. "You give me the Dragonfire and Doug won't hurt you too bad." She chose to ignore that he was _entirely incapable_ of hurting anyone at all. But Queenie didn't know that and Evie was using that to her advantage.

"This weakling?" Queenie jeered, eyeing Doug. "Don't make me laugh." And she did just that for the sake of it. "But, if you want this gem, come and get it. Later, E." With that, she disappeared into a puff of red smoke.

"QUEENIE!" Evie yelled but she was gone. And so was the Dragonfire. Evie staggered, worn out from the excessive explosion of power. Doug dropped the spear and hurried to her side.

"Are you all right?" he asked worriedly.

"I'm...fine." She gave him a weak smile.

"You're not fine," Doug argued as Evie staggered and he lunged to catch her. "Come on," he added, slinging her arm around his shoulders. "Let's get out of here."

"But...the Dragonfire..."

"It's gone," Doug told her. "E, it's not safe for us here. _Please_."

She nodded and the two of them limped away from the battle field. Curious eyes stared at them from the shadows as they struggled back to their hideout. Upon reaching the top floor, Evie collapsed into a hammock, groaning in pain and muttering a bunch of incoherent words. Doug sat against the opposite wall, inhaling and exhaling deeply, shaking. He forced the tears of relief from his eyes. They'd escaped! They'd gotten away!

And it was all thanks to Evie.

He couldn't help but glance her direction. But what had happened to her? The orange light. It had been like... _magic_.

But how was that possible? Evie _didn't have_ any powers... _right_?

"Doug..."

He turned, hearing her weak whisper, and found her staring at him from her hammock. She looked exhausted but still managed a weak smile. "Hey," she went on. "You did good back there. I didn't know you had it in you."

He smirked. "I guess Lonnie's tips paid off."

She laughed. "Yeah, I guess so."

He frowned. "Evie, are you sure you're okay?"

She shrugged. "At first, I thought so. But now I'm not so sure."

"What happened back there? What was that orange power? And your eyes..."

Evie groaned. "It's a bit hard to explain," she mumbled. "I don't know what happened. It's...it's something I haven't seen for a long time...since I was a little girl. Last time, I just...got this weird feeling. Like...like I was on fire. And the next thing I knew, everything was destroyed. It's...it's something that I can't really explain and...don't really like talking about."

"This is what you and Mal were arguing about," Doug guessed.

Evie nodded. "And now Queenie has the blue Dragonfire. How did she even get it? There's supposed to be some sort of protection around them so that only a hero could wield them."

"But Maleficent had all six."

"Yeah?" Evie stared at him blankly. "But Maleficent wasn't always bad, remember?"

"I guess." Doug moved over to sit against the wall next to her. "But now that we know that Queenie has the Dragonfire, don't you think we should start working on how we're going to get it _back_?"

"Oh...that's easy," Evie groaned. "There's only one person who could have helped Queenie get a hold of a Dragonfire."

"Maleficent?"

"Right." Evie painfully attempted to sit up but fell back with a look of agony. "But since we don't know where Maleficent is...there's no way of knowing for sure what her plans might be. But there might be another way..." She trailed off here.

"What?" Doug sat up, interested.

"No, no, it would be too dangerous. And only a hero could complete it and...I don't think I can move..."

"I'll do it," Doug volunteered. "What is it? Tell me what to do."

She gave him a small smile. "Doug, I know you want to help. And I'm grateful, really, but this is not something a dwarf can really do."

"It's about finding the Dragonfire," Doug argued. "And a Dragonfire is practically a jewel. And what do you think my family has done for years? Sat around sniffing roses? If anyone can find a rock, it's me."

She sighed. "It's not about that," she explained. "It's just...to complete the trial...you'd have to face my mother."

Doug gulped. "Y-your mother? As in, the creepy woman that we were just trying to get away from? Are we talking about the same Evil Queen?"

Evie nodded. "Yes. Mom keeps her magic mirror--the big one that talks--in the upper most room of her castle. If you could get to that, it could tell you where the Dragonfires are and where Maleficent is. But, there's still the problem of my mother. You have a Dragonfire with you. She'll want that. And she can sense the blood of a dwarf a mile away. You'd never get in. I was the only one who had a chance. _I_ was going to go in before. That's why I told you to run."

"You _wanted_ to get caught?"

Evie nodded. "Me. Not you. Mal was never supposed to send you with me."

"Well, I'm here now," Doug pointed out. "So tell me how to get in."

"But--"

"You can't do it," Doug went on. "You said it yourself. The Magic Mirror might be the only way to solve this mystery."

"But...the mirror won't even work for you. Just wait for me. I'll be feeling fine soon enough."

"Then I'll figure something else out. And how do you know the mirror won't work for me?" Doug said with a small smile, ignoring the last part.

"You're not related to us," Evie argued.

"Really? Are you sure the mirror only responds to genes? After all, I have magic now too." He gestured to the Dragonfire.

Evie looked at him. "You're not going to quit are you?"

He shook his head, grinning. "Mal wanted me to come for a reason," he reminded her. "I think this might have been why. Now, try and get some rest," he added, standing up and fiddling with the stone in his pocket. "I'm going to go have a look around and see if I can find anything to help us."

"Be careful," Evie called after him as he hurried up the steps and disappeared around the corner. " _And don't go anywhere without me_!"

"Aren't I always? And I wouldn't dream of it," he replied.

She gave to response to that. None was needed. They both knew the answer.

Just like Doug knew what he had to do. Evie didn't want him to take on Evil Queen by himself. But she was in no condition to travel...let alone face her mother. And if that was indeed where the Magic Mirror was...

 _The silver Dragonfire can track its twin's movements_...the conversation with Mal suddenly popped into his brain. His Dragonfire and Evie's were connected. So, maybe, if he could find a way to channel the jewel's power, he could find the blue Dragonfire and skip Evil Queen entirely.

He pulled the rock out of his pocket, feeling the icy-hot pain shoot through his nerves. It was like it knew what needed to be done. He took a deep breath and focused all of his thoughts into finding the other stone. His head began to throb. The world gave a violet lurch and the pain intensified.

And then he was gone.

 _He was standing on blackened soil._ _The sky was dark above him but he could still see the stars. He could hear the screams and heavy wing beats of dragons. He turned slowly, scanning the heavens. A flash of purple scales flew by him._

Mal?

_He started running after it, tripping over the uneven earth. "Mal!" he tried to call to her but no sound came out. Trees flew past on either side of him as he weaved through the forest. He could see the dragon's tail as it smashed through the leafy canopy and disappeared into an open clearing._

_He emerged from the woods and found himself standing in a scorched meadow._

_And in the distance, he could see a small cottage, burnt completely to the ground._

_His home._

NO! _He sprinted towards it, forcing back the tears. The cottage, and surrounding fields, looked like they had been the center of a massive explosion. He reached the hanging door and quickly pushed it aside. Stepping into the obliterated room, he searched frantically for signs of life. "Dad? Mom? Uncles?" Nothing._

_"No..." he gasped, stepping back. "No no no, please, no!"_

_A dragon's furious roar split the heavens._

_And then the world shifted._

_He found himself standing in a dark room before a large mirror. In one hand, he held the silver Dragonfire. In the other, an identical blue stone._

_There was a scream from behind him._

_He turned._

_There was a flash of light._

_And he awoke._

Doug slowly opened his eyes. He found himself back on the Isle, leaning against the wall, shaking. The Dragonfire was still clutched tightly in his hand. He looked down at it and took a deep breath. The vision was clear. His family was in trouble. He knew what he had to do.

Grabbing his backpack, he headed for the door, stopping only briefly to glance towards Evie's unmoving form. _I'm sorry_ , he told her silently. _Please forgive me_.

He headed out the door and back into the busy streets. But he wasn't heading towards the bridge and Auradon. He was going the other way.

Towards the Evil Queen's Castle.


	11. Down a Rabbit Hole

"Remind me again why you thought it was a good idea to steal from the Band of Merry Men?" Lonnie shrieked as they sprinted through the trees, a shower of arrows raining down all around them. 

"They had a huge collection of lamps!" Jay yelled back, vaulting over a fallen tree. He reached back and held out his hand to Lonnie who didn't take it, preferring to leap over it. She almost seemed to be flying. The swords clattered loudly on her back. "And they were really smug about it!"

"But did you _have_ to steal one?" Lonnie screamed back as they kept moving. Behind them, their hunters got closer. 

"Of course!"

"I hate you!"

"I love you too!" 

***

"Mal!"

The world was dark all around her. She could hear Carlos and Jane calling out to her but she could see nothing. And Ben. _Where was Ben_? Where was he? Mal struggled, trying to turn over, feeling every nerve in her body explode into blistery pain. She groaned, feeling the change rush over her. A moment later, she was back in human form, lying on her back, facing up towards the heavens. The sky was too blue. There wasn't even a cloud. And her dress was itchy. 

Mal frowned, blinking. Why did everything seem so cheerful? Why did the world keep spinning, even when everything could be spiraling towards disaster. Disaster. Dragonfires. Magic. _Ben_. "BEN!" she yelled suddenly, sitting up as though she had been struck by lightning. In an instant, Carlos and Jane were at her side, helping her up and bombarding her with questions.

"Bibbity! Mal! Are you all right?" Jane questioned, her eyes wide and fearful.

"Mal, what happened?" Carlos held out his hand to help her up and she took it gratefully. But her attention was not on him.

"Ben?" she called, searching the forest frantically. "Ben! Where are you? BEN!" She stumbled forwards, tripping slightly over her dress. Immediately, Jane and Carlos broke away from her and began searching through the trees for the king.

"Ben!" Carlos called, disappearing into a thick patch of thorns and briers.

Across the way, Jane was delicately trying to maneuver the weeds without ripping her dress. Fairy Godmother would be furious if anything happened to it. She was funny like that. "Ben? Ben, where are you?"

Meanwhile, back in the clearing, Mal took a deep breath and closed her eyes, honing once more into her surroundings. Whoever had been out there, they were gone now. She could sense only two heartbeats. They were all alone. She opened her eyes, and looked around, aware of her friends searching through the trees. But, somehow, she knew they would never find her fiance that way. 

"MAL! JANE! CARLOS!"

The yell was high-pitched and a bit shaky. But there was no doubt that it was Ben's. 

Mal looked up immediately, scanning the clearing in surprise. "Ben?" she gasped. "BEN! Where are you?" At her shout, both Jane and Carlos hurried back to her and the three of them looked around, confused.

"Look up."

They did.

There, hanging from a long branch by his jacket, looking very uncomfortable, was Ben. Mal internally breathed a sigh of relief. And then she smiled. The tree had saved his life. He was all right! He was alive! 

But how were they supposed to get him down?

Carlos seemed to read her mind. He sized the tree up. "I've got this," he told her. 

So, she and Jane watched as the skinny boy worked his way up the tree and began to help Ben get free.

It was less than a minute later when Mal's phone vibrated. She glanced down at it, frowning. It was from Jay. She supposed she had time to look at it. She snuck a glance at Carlos and Ben who were coming down now. Ben looked a bit bruised but, overall, all right.

**Hey! How's it going? You find FG yet? How about the Dragonfires? Oh, we're doing well, thanks for asking. We're about a day out from Agrabah. Should be there early tomorrow. Lonnie says she knows somewhere we can stay the night and then start searching right away.**

Mal sighed and pushed her worries away as she replied.

 **That's good. We're about to find FG. No luck on the Dragonfires yet. But we may have another problem to worry about...** She paused for a moment, wondering if she should mention what was really on her mind. **Jay?**

There a moment of pause. And then...

**Yeah, Mal?**

**Have you heard from Evie?**

**No. And I'm getting a bit worried about them. I tried to text Evie but she didn't respond. I tried to call but her phone went straight to voicemail. I tried Doug. His phone must be off.**

Mal frowned slightly at this. **Makes sense if they're on the Isle. They wouldn't want to draw attentions to themselves.**

**Drawing attention to themselves? Mal, you do realize that this is _Evie_ we're talking about? She's gonna have, like, five million guys trailing after her.**

Mal chuckled. **Not if Doug has anything to say about it. Did you see his expression when Harry tried to make a pass at Evie? If Doug were somehow related to Ben, I'd say that was his 'Beast-Mode'. But, really, Jay, I'm worried about them. Evie's been a bit...off...lately. Haven't you noticed?**

**Yeah, I have actually. The way the two of you were blowing up in each others' faces back at the cottege was unheard of. What was that all about, may I ask?**

Mal took a deep breath. For a moment, she was wondering if she was doing the right thing. Evie was her best friend and she'd promised not to tell. But this was much more than a tiny secret now. Evie was a danger to herself and everyone around her. Surely that meant Mal had to tell the others, right? It was her duty to protect Auradon. Besides, she'd read the history books. She knew all about Evie's lineage. 

This was exactly what happened to the Evil Queen before she turned evil and tried to kill Snow White.

**Evie's got powers.**

There was silence on the other end of the phone. Mal wasn't sure if Jay was just flabbergasted or, just, for once, had no words. She waited for a minute and was relieved to hear the familiar ding of an incoming message.

**Sorry. Dropped my phone in shock about _Evie having magic!_ Mal, when were you going to tell us this? Does Ben know? Have you two been keeping this a secret from everybody? We need to go to the Isle and get her back! Mal, don't you realize what's waiting their for her? **

**I know, Jay,** Mal quickly typed back. **But Evie's going to have to face it one way or another. And that's why I sent Doug with her. He won't let anything happen to her.**

**But what if Evie...comes back not as Evie?**

Mal had been thinking the exact same thing. But she couldn't let Jay know that. **I don't think that's going to happen. Evie's strong. Much more so than her mother. And she's found true love. That will at least count for something, right? But if it does fail, than we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Right now, our mission is to find the Dragonfires and stop my mother. That's what we need to focus on for the time being.**

**All right, all right, don't go all Maleficent on me. You're the one who brought the subject up in the first place!**

**Yeah? And now, I'm going to be the one to end it. And what do you mean 'go all Maleficent', Jay?**

**Gotta go! Lonnie's calling! Bye!**

Mal glared at the cell phone, as though thinking the look could somehow reach Jay and scald him. 

Ben and Carlos walked over to them. "Hey," Ben said, wrapping an arm around her. "Thanks for, you know, saving my life."

Mal tucked the phone back into her pocket and glanced up innocently at him. "Well, technically, the tree saved you. Though I'm sure it wouldn't mind a thanks as well." She smirked, trying to shake off the worry for her friends. _They will be fine_ , she told herself. _They can handle this_. 

Ben coughed. "Right, so, shall we keep going? I'd...assume you took care of whatever that magic came from, right?"

"Hmmm, you _could_ say that," Carlos stammered.

Ben looked back at him. "Okay then, shall we go?" 

Mal and Jane nodded and, together, the four of them set off.

The sun was beginning to set as they arrived at the top of the meadow and could easily locate the White Rabbit's burrow before them. After all, who could miss it? It looked like a giant crater in the earth. Mal's jaw dropped when she saw it. She'd heard of them from Queenie but she'd never actually expected it to be _this_ big!

"Whoa," Carlos said from beside her.

"It is pretty incredible isn't it?" Ben commented, arriving on her other side. Jane appeared a moment later, smiling. She, like Ben, already had known about the place. "Come on," Ben went on. "Let's go!" 

They walked to the edge of the hole and stared down at it. "So..." Mal questioned. "How exactly are we supposed to get down there?"

Ben looked at her. "Easy. You just jump." Then, to demonstrate, he let out a whoop and sprang into the hole.

"BEN!" Carlos and Mal screamed.

For a moment, there was silence.

And then a yell of laughter echoed from the hole

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Jane questioned. "Let's go!"

***

"WHAT DO YOU _MEAN_ 'THEY GOT AWAY'?"

The villains cringed at her furious bellow. Cruella kept stroking her dog and Jafar cowered in the corner as Evil Queen stormed back and forth across the floor which was already beginning to show the wear.

"MY DAUGHTER IS ON THE ISLE WITHOUT THE WHOLE POSSE AND YOU COULDN'T EVEN GET _HER_? WHAT IS THE WORLD COMING TO? SHE IS _ONE_ GIRL! EVERYONE ON THIS ISLAND IS A COMPLETE _DUMMY_!"

"It's not as bad as it seems," Queenie argued from her comfortable position on the couch. In one hand, she fiddled with something. In the other, she held a small red checker piece as though studying the board in front of her. It was the same game that she and Evie had played when they were children. It hadn't moved in over ten years. 

Until today. 

Evil Queen took a deep breath and turned to glare at the girl. " _Oh_?" she demanded. "And _how_ would _that_ be?"

"Evie's in the city," Queenie explained, sighing, disappointed that she would have to explain it out to the old woman. "And I hardly doubt she's going anywhere for a while. You see," she uncrossed her legs and stood up from the couch, coming over to stand before EQ. "She's getting her powers."

Evil Queen gasped.

Cruella and Jafar glanced up in shock.

"Wait...Evie has magic? As in, blue-haired, heart-throb Evie?" Jafar questioned.

"Well, do you know any other, Evies?" Evil Queen mumbled. And then, she focused her glare back at Queenie. "Where is she?" she demanded.

"Where else?" Queenie said with a shrug. "Mal's old hideout. And with the amount of power she unleashed on my shadows, I'd say she'd going to be there for a day or two before she even recovers the strength to come here."

"Well, then, we have nothing to worry about, right?" Cruella questioned.

Queenie shrugged. "That's not exactly true either."

"What do you mean?"

"Evie didn't come here alone," Queenie explained. "She had a boy with her. Definitely an Auradonian by the way he behaved and failed miserably at fitting in. He has a sense of magic around him, a kind I haven't read about in all my years of searching. They're here looking for something. And that's how I plan on trapping them."

"What exactly do you have in mind?" Evil Queen questioned. 

"I'll lure Evie here so you three can finish the job," Queenie explained.

"And how do you plan on doing that?"

Queenie glanced down at the Dragonfire, smirking. In it's reflection, she could see the boy running towards the castle, a look of sheer panic and determination on his face. But there was no sign of Evie anywhere.She must still be recovering and had sent her friend to do the job for her. _Perfect_ , she thought. Evie wasn't as smart as she thought she was. And soon, Queenie would have a new piece in this game.

"Because I am going to have something that she wants."

She sat back down at the coffee table and gazed at the checkered board with faint amusement before daintily sliding a piece up and knocking a black chip from the board. 

_Evie Queen...checkmate._


	12. Mirror Mirror

Thunder rumbled in the heavens as he trudged stiffly through the back alleys towards the very place he'd wanted so badly to stay away from. He kept his head down and hands in his pockets, shuffling along, attempting to come off as just another poor villain's kid. One hand remained permanently around the Dragonfire. He was determined not to let it out of his sight. Evie would already kill him for leaving her behind. He didn't want to give her another reason to bury him six feet under. 

The streets seemed to grow more deserted the closer he got to the Evil Queen's castle. He supposed this was due to the overall terror factor of the new ruler of the Isle. He knew he'd be running in the opposite direction if he had the option. But he didn't. Evie was counting on him. _Auradon_ was counting on him. This was normally something that Ben or Mal would do. They were the real heroes. But they weren't here right now. It was only Evie and him. And Evie wasn't able to complete the trial. That left him. The dwarf. The band geek. The very non-hero. 

If he was all that was left, Auradon was _doomed._

Even the air seemed to grow heavier as he trudged through the rain. It seemed like it was now as heavily filled with dread as his footsteps (which were progressively getting slower and slower and had almost reached a stop). He could feel the painful thud of his heart beating against his rib cage. He'd never been so terrified of anything before. Not even when Audrey had tried to take over Auradon and turned half of its residents to stone. This was _Evil Queen_. The worst villain on all of the Isle, next to Maleficent of course. 

He knew he had to be walking straight into a trap. Unarmed and unprotected. And neither Mal or Evie were around to help him. This was one quest he would have to complete on his own. To prove his worth to Evie. And to the others. He could be a hero too. 

But that didn't mean he wasn't terrified to death. 

If Evie's mother was even _one tenth_ as dangerous as Evie had made her out to be, he wasn't sure he'd even make it through the front door safely. This was _not_ a good plan. He didn't expect to walk back out of it. He just needed to get the Dragonfire...get it to Evie...and find some way not to die in the process.

The rain seemed to let up as he reached the front stoop of the castle and stared up at its looming figure. He didn't want to go in through the front door. The villains would be expecting that. What about the balcony he'd seen earlier? Could he climb up and enter through the window? It was certainly a less predictable course of action. But could he do it? 

He looked down at his hands and then back up at the relatively smooth side of the castle. It was possible to scale. He'd seen it done on television before. But he wasn't a rock climber. He lacked all types of strength (as Uma had so kindly pointed out). The climb would potentially wear him out and leave him nothing to fight any lurking villains with.

Could he do it? Scale such a tremendous object? Maybe. Did he really have any other option? No. 

He fingered the Dragonfire nervously, feeling it warm against his fingertips. What would his father do in a situation like this? What would _Snow White_ do? This wasn't like some hunter chasing a fourteen year old girl through the forest, though. This was more like walking right into the lion's den and trying to steal a cub from them while they were all still awake. It was bound to go downhill fast. 

Taking a deep breath, he glanced around to make sure no one was waiting, hitched up his backpack, and then promptly threw himself at the wall, jumping up as high as he could before grabbing into a group of loose bricks. His handholds were slick from the rain and he struggled to hold on, grit his teeth, and set his mind on ascending instead. A few steps up and already his arms were burning. His glasses slid uncomfortably down his nose but he didn't have a free hand to push them back up. After a few moments of struggling, he allowed himself to look down...and immediately wished he hadn't. He found himself staring at a dizzying fifty-foot drop and the world started to spin around him. 

He buried his face into the bricks with a gasp, squeezing his eyes shut, struggling to breathe. _This was a bad idea! This was a terrible idea!_ He screamed at himself. He felt his body quivering and his grip strength already beginning to fail him. To fall now would mean certain death...or at least some serious injuries. 

_I can't do this...I can't do...I'm not good enough...Why am I here...I'm not a hero. Evie. Evie's the hero...I'm just the dopey sidekick..._ The panic attack came on hard and fast.He felt his brain shutting down entirely. He couldn't think. He couldn't breathe. Dopey had warned him about these attacks.They were rare. But they were dangerous. That was why Doug was supposed to stay out of confrontations...exactly like this one.

 _Get it together, Doug!_ he snapped at himself, trying to soothe his racing mind. _You can't quit! Not now! Auradon needs you! Evie's counting on you!_

He glanced up at the looming window. It was still a good distance away. He needed to keep climbing. His arms shook and his hands felt like fire. He could feel the energy just being zapped from him the longer he hung there. And his backpack was beginning to grow heavier and heavier.

There was a flash of light and Doug felt the sky and ground swirling around him and he knew immediately that the Dragonfire was trying to draw him into another dream. He shook his head weakly, struggling to hold it back. The last one still scared him. Mal said it had the power to show the future. Did that mean what he saw was going to happen? Auradon...his home...destroyed? His family... _gone_? And the dragon...Maleficent or Mal? And what about the first dream...in the mines. Was Evie really going to become evil? Was she actually going to kill him? And what about the others? Why was he all alone?

" _No,_ " he groaned as the pain in his head intensified and he felt sweat forming on his forehead. "I don't... _have time_ for this!" With a great burst of effort, Doug shoved the vision out of his head and focused once more on climbing the last leg of the tower. 

He clambered over the railing onto the deck, breathing a sigh of relief as he ducked down next to the window, just in case someone was inside. He wasn't much of a thief, but he'd seen Jay at work when the villains first arrived at school and he'd picked up a few things. (They came in handy later when Chad's homework, which he'd cheated on, disappeared the morning of the test and were found on Fairy Godmother's desk later that day with a note explaining how the boy had cheated. No one suspected Doug and Chad was still trying to figure out who tipped FG off.)

The window was locked from the inside. Doug frowned, cautiously running a hand over it, wrinkling his nose slightly at all of the dust and grim that flew off. So...unlocking the door wasn't going to be an option. Was there another way? 

He dared a glance through the window, squinting. The room before him was dark. It did not seem like anyone was there. So, that only left the question of the latch. And, he honestly had no idea how to go about it. If only he'd thought to bring a magnet or something metallic to draw the lock up. But he didn't. Some poor excuse he made for a Boy Scout _now_. 

He sighed, running a hand across the pane near the latch. It jiggled, and, as his hand passed before it, the latch slid up and out of its holder, falling uselessly to the ground. Doug stared. But he didn't take the time to try and work out what had happened. He pulled his backpack up tighter on his shoulders and slowly pushed the window open, wincing at the loud creak. 

Once it was far enough open, he removed his backpack and lightly tossed it through, counting how long it took to hit the ground. _One...two...three_. That meant the floor couldn't have been too far away from the window. So, taking a deep breath and fixing his glasses, he readied himself for whatever he might find waiting for him. Doug pulled himself through with a grunt, sliding down the opposite side, using the frame as a monkey bar to hold himself up until he got a chance to look down and could see his backpack lying a few feet below him.

Closing his eyes and inhaling slowly, he let go.

His face hit the concrete. 

The window slammed shut behind him. 

_Owwwww._ Doug groaned, struggling up quickly, rubbing a sore cheek and taking off his glasses to look them over. Even through the blurriness, he could see an unusual line through the left lens. _Great. Now I have to buy_ another _pair of glasses. Dad's gonna kill me._

His dad wouldn't be doing anything, the dwarf reminded himself, if he couldn't get the Dragonfire from the Queen's castle and use the magic mirror to find the others. 

Replacing his now cracked lenses, he blinked, scanning the room around him. It was nearly pitch black, the only light source being the window that he had just come through. Dust and cobwebs clung to everything. He wondered how long it had been since this room had been used.

The dust filled his nose and he sneezed. 

And it wasn't a quiet sneeze, the kind that would go unnoticed by all but the most observant of people. It was the loud, giant sneeze that echoed a thousand times louder in these types of rooms. He cringed, his heart racing, praying no one had heard it. 

He waited. 

Silence.

Once he was satisfied that his mistake hadn't been overheard, he quickly headed for the door, leaving his backpack behind but securing the Dragonfire more firmly in his pocket. As quietly as he could, he opened the door and stepped out into a dimly lit hallway. The only light source seemed to be a series of torches that lined the walls. A railing was right before him. He crouched down and moved towards this railing, peering down at the open floor plan below him. He could hear voices.

"Have you heard anything from Maleficent?" came a cold voice from somewhere on that first floor. Doug's eyes moved from one side of the room to the other. He could see four figures standing there. One, the red-head, he recognized immediately as Queenie. She was standing near an old table, arms crossed. Beside her was a man dressed in attire that Doug had only ever seen in one place. Agrabah. _That must be Jafar,_ he realized. 

"Nothing yet," Queenie spoke tonelessly. "But I have reason to believe that she is closing in on her daughter and Auradon's precious _king_. It shouldn't be too long now. And if those fools have found their Dragonfires by now, well, it shouldn't be too hard to take them away from them."

 _I have to warn Ben and Mal!_ He backed away from the railing and looked up and down the hallway. But first, he needed to find the magic mirror. There had to be at least a dozen doors though! How was he supposed to guess which one was right? 

He felt the heat in his pocket again. This time, he took out the gem, feeling it pulse with fire. It glowed with an unusual light and he had to keep a hand over it, hoping the villains wouldn't notice the silver light as he hurried down the corridor at the quickest speed he dared. 

The light grew brighter and brighter as he neared the end of the hall. It crackled and faded when he came face to face with the last door in the hall, the one that faced towards him instead of off to the side. Taking a deep breath and steadying his shaking hands, he reached for the handle and carefully pulled the door open, revealing a circular tower of stairs. _Great. Stairs. Goodbye stamina._

Doug hurried up them, forgetting to shut the door behind him in his haste. His footsteps echoed off of the solid concrete walls as he flew up the steps. In one hand, he held the Dragonfire. In the other, he hastily brought up Ben's name on his phone and began to text him before remembering...

_Oh. Right. There's no service here._

He couldn't warn Ben. He'd just have to hope the King could handle himself. What was he talking about? Ben was by far one of the strongest people Doug knew. He'd be fine. Besides, he had Mal with him. Those two were an unstoppable team. 

_Evie.._.

He reached the top a minute later and quickly pushed the door open, closing it gently behind him. 

He found himself standing in a room somehow flooded with light. And near the back, almost buried underneath a mound of junk and old furniture...

 _The Magic Mirror_!

Doug gasped and hurried towards it, ripping off the cloth that was covering it. It was just as he'd always imagined it. It was huge. At least three times the size of him. It glowed with a weird blue light. Doug swallowed hard, moving forwards to touch it. _This is how Evie's mom found Snow White_ , he realized with a sense of dread. _This mirror knows everything_.

As though it could sense his presence, the inside of the mirror suddenly faded to all black. Doug frowned and took a step back. _Is it broken?_ he wondered. His question was answered seconds later when the color suddenly swirled back into the frame and a face appeared before him.

Doug let out a yelp and sprang backwards.

The face stared at him, as though reading his very being. "I see a new villain rising..." The voice thundered, though it seemed to be mostly inside his head. "The offspring of two worlds...a child who should never have been...with powers even beyond reality."

Doug frowned. A new villain? What was it talking about? "I'm here to find Maleficent!" he told it bravely, hearing his voice shaking slightly.

"A war..." the mirror droned on as though it couldn't hear him. "To end all wars...a great evil...a darkness...a hero...turned by the hunger of greed...a villain...dreaming of being a hero...two worlds colliding...death..."

Doug paled. "How do I stop it?" he pleaded with it. "Please tell me how!"

The face flickered towards him now, as though just now acknowledging that he was there. "You must be willing to pay the ultimate sacrifice..." it whispered.

"What? What is it? Whatever it is, I'll do it!"

"True love..." the voice whispered. "It is the answer to all your questions...inside you...secrets will be revealed...blood will turn against blood and brother against brother for the future of Auradon..."

"But how do I stop it?" Doug demanded. "Is this about Maleficent? Is she behind all of this? Where is she? Show me, Maleficent!" 

The mirror remained impassive.

"You want to see Maleficent?" came a cackle from behind him.

Doug's heart stopped. He didn't recognize the voice. But there was really only one person that could sound this cruel and heartless in five simple words. He turned, dreading who he knew he'd see. "Evil Queen," he breathed. 

The queen glared at him with faint bemusement. She was dressed just as Snow White had described her when she used to tell her story to him, Derek, and his cousins when they were little. She _definitely_ wasn't the fairest in the land. And he wasn't just talking about her heart. " _Dwarf_ ," she snarled. "I _knew_ I sensed something foul."

Doug cringed back, already searching for a way out. There were no windows in the room. The only way out was through the same door he'd come through. And Evie's mother was blocking that only means of escape. 

And she wasn't alone. 

There was a shuffle from the steps and, a moment later, the familiar girl appeared at Evil Queen's side, grinning wickedly. "Hello again, Auradon Boy," she sneered. 

Doug didn't answer. He was too busy planning his next move. 

"So, what's your plan now?" Queenie questioned. "You're here. Evie's clearly _not_ with you and sent you to do her dirty work. But she was a fool. You never had a chance. We caught you the second you tried to climb the tower."

"How--"

"We're villains," came the simple response. "Do you really think there's _anything_ on this island that we don't know about?" With that, Queenie held up the blue Dragonfire. "This is what you came for. _So sorry_ that it was all in vain. Queen?" She glanced over at Evil Queen who smiled. It was a terrible smile.

Doug stumbled backwards in fright. His foot hit a box and he fell onto his back... _hard._ He stared up at the two villains in terror. He was trapped. He knew it too. This was the end of the line. There was no where to run.

"The Dragonfire," EQ snapped, holding out her hand. "Give it to me. NOW!"

"The...w-what?"

"Don't play stupid with _me_ , boy!" Evil Queen screeched. "You have a Dragonfire! That is the only way you could have known where we were! So...I'll tell you again... _give the stone to m_ e!" Her gaze narrowed. She was done playing around. 

"I'll get it," Queenie threatened.

"No!" Evil Queen help up her hand. "Thank you. But, dwarf or no, I need him _alive."_

" _Why_? We have him. Evie will surely come running soon enough."

" _Because_ ," Evil Queen laughed, staring down venomously at Doug who was too petrified to move and could only stare up at them in horror. "He can lead us to the other Dragonfires."


	13. On The Wall

Evie awoke in a fiery and blistery pain. 

At first, she couldn't remember where she was or how she had gotten there. A crash of thunder had helped out with _that_ problem. She was on the Isle, looking for one of Mal's Dragonfires. Queenie had been there. She'd tried to stop them.

Them?

 _Doug_.

An image of her boyfriend formed in her mind and she groaned, struggling to turn over and face the huge room before her, expecting to find him fast asleep against the wall with a mountain of books before him.

No Doug.

She frowned only slightly. He had to be around somewhere, right? Maybe he just couldn't sleep and had gone for a walk. Around the Isle. At _night_. No... _no way_. Doug was far too smart to do something so blatantly stupid. He was even too afraid to go to a campus bonfire because the sun had already set. (She really needed to ask him what his problem with the dark was).

 _Later,_ she told herself as she weakly sat up and scanned the room, her frown growing deeper by the minute. The place was deserted. There were no signs of anyone living there. Evie knew Doug was a perfectionist but _thi_ s seemed a bit ridiculous!

"Doug?" she called, her voice coming out more as a croak.

Silence. Evie _hated_ the silence. It reminded her too much about what life had been like before...and that was not what she wanted to think about _at all._

She slowly stood up, still feeling a bit dizzy. She blinked away the orange spots that danced before her eyes. What had she been doing again?

Oh...that's right...

"Doug?" she called again as she moved slowly towards the stairs. "Where are you? _Doug_?" She reached the top and peered around the corner into a small side room which was filled with books and notes for classes from their old school, along with some theories and papers on getting to Auradon (most of these were written by Carlos while he was building his gizmo to punch a hole in the dome), hoping to find him studying something or another as he tended to do when he was stressed. 

She entered the room slowly, using the wall as a balance. She looked around hopefully for her boyfriend but was disappointed, and a bit worried, not to find him there. 

She noticed a few books lying scattered on the floor and she walked over to kneel down beside them. They were reminders of the last time the four of them had been on the Isle before their parents had shipped them off to Auradon Prep. She smiled slightly as she ran a hand over one of the bindings, remembering how they raced through the streets, causing mayhem and misery to everyone they met. _Good times..._

But those days were long behind them. It had been almost three years. They'd changed. They weren't the villains they'd once been. They were heroes now. And, as they'd shown by giving up their talismans, heroes didn't need magic to survive. They were smarter and better off without it.

"Doug?"

Where could he have gone? It wasn't like him to disappear without telling anyone. Had Queenie come back? Was Doug in trouble? Where was he? _Okay, breathe, Evie, breathe_ , she snapped at herself, trying to recall what Mal would say to her in a situation like this. _You can't help him by getting all worked up. You're probably just overthinking everything. Besides, Doug is capable of taking care of himself..._

But, then again...

"DOUG!"

She hurried out of the room and continued her search. 

***

Mal winced as she stood up. Though the hole was dimly lit, she could still make out the laughing figures of Carlos and Ben standing over her. The latter holding out his hand to help her up. Jane, meanwhile, was busy running her hands against the dirt wall as though searching for something. 

"It's not funny," she grumbled as she took Ben's hand and allowed him to help her up. Ben chuckled but it was Carlos who responded.

"I don't know Mal, it did look pretty funny."

Mal growled and chucked a handful of dirt at him. Carlos laughed and shielded his face, dancing away quickly. "Where are we?" Mal quizzed, just as Jane came hurrying over, smiling as though she'd just discovered something marvelous. "I mean, other than an abnormally sized rabbit hole in the middle of no where."

"Ben?" came a voice from behind them and they all turned to see Audrey emerge from a dark side cavern, peering cautiously out at them. "Is that you?"

"Audrey!" Ben sounded relieved as he gestured for the others to join him. "Yeah, it's me. And Mal, Carlos, and Jane too. Audrey...where is everyone?" 

"This way," Audrey said carefully, turning away and starting back down the corridor. After a moment, the others followed. Ben took the lead and Mal hurried after him. Carlos and Jane took the rear, Carlos tripping and falling over every few seconds, yelping as he went. 

The corridor was dark and damp. Mal grimaced as they walked deeper and deeper into the caverns. She wondered briefly how a tiny rabbit could make such a large burrow. Not forgetting that Alice had somehow managed to fall down it. _Magic_ , she told herself. It was always magic. That had been the solution for everything back then. Though she knew all of Auradon was trying to do without magic now...she had to admit, this was pretty cool. 

"How big is this place, actually?" she questioned.

"We've charted at least ten miles in all directions," Audrey informed her. "But, according to Ally, that isn't even close." Ever since Mal had managed to stop her tyrannical raid, she'd been a little bit warmer to Mal, even if was just the feeling of guilt that drove her. Mal wasn't going to complain about it. One less enemy to deal with...and if the legends came true, they'd have enough to handle already.

"Ally?" Carlos gasped, jogging now to keep up.

"Alice's daughter," Ben explained. "Who would be an expert in this department, having spent half her life down here. Rumor has it that this eventually connects to the Seven Dwarfs' mine up north."

Audrey wrinkled her nose slightly at the thought. Helpful or no, she was still Audrey. A leopard didn't change his spots all in one day and such. Same way with certain stubborn princesses.

The corridor suddenly opened into a large yawning cavern. Mal felt the dozens of curious eyes turn towards them as they stepped from the shadows. She spotted Fairy Godmother, fiddling with her baton, looking immensely relieved to see that they were all in one piece. Chad, however, was the first to move towards them, attempting to put an arm around Audrey it failing as she quickly shied away. There was a flash of turquoise and a familiar girl and her two best mates appeared at Mal's side.

"I see you're still in one piece," Uma commented, twirling her already twisty hair and blowing a piece of Evie's gum. ( Mal wasn't even going to ask how she'd gotten it. In fact, she didn't really want to know).

"Don't act so disappointed," Mal retorted with a friendly smirk.

"It would take more than all of the villains of the Isle combined to stop Mal," Ben commented, slinging an arm around her and pulling her in.

Harry, who'd been quietly observing all of this, now pulled Carlos away for a private conversation. Mal's sensitive ears picked up on the conversation, wondering if it be anything to do with what she thought it did. "Carlos, mate," Harry began in his heavy Scottish accent. "Do ya mind if I ask you a bit of a personal question?"

Carlos glanced up at him warily. "What if I said yes?"

Harry laughed. "You see," he pointed off into the distance with us fake hook. "I need some help."

"What kind of help? I believe Flora is a psychiatrist. I could ask her for yo--"

"Love help," Harry cut him off. Carlos stared, frozen in shock. The great _Harry_ _Hook_ , was in _love_ with someone? This was some kind of cruel joke, right? Someone had to be pulling the wool over his eyes. And he wasn't about to buy it.

"Right. Yeah. _You_ need love advice. Ha ha. Jay put you up to this, didn't he? And who are you supposed to be in love with? _Uma_?" He chuckled slightly but Mal was pleasantly delighted to see the tips of Harry's ears turn red. It just confirmed what she'd been assuming all along. A certain son of Captain Hook was in love with a certain sea witch.

Gil, meanwhile, was talking with Ben about something or another to do with pirates and sunken treasure. Mal couldn't even begin to guess. Instead, she decided to go and talk with Fairy Godmother. Maybe the woman could use her magic or something to help them find Maleficent. 

"Mal!" FG made her way down from the back of the cavern towards her. "Dear! Thank goodness you're all right! When I asked Ben to go and find you, I knew he'd find you. I was just afraid that, well, Maleficent would find you first. But...where are Jay and Evie?"

"Evie and Jay are on special missions of their own right now," Ben answered for Mal, stepping up behind the purplette. "And I sent Doug and Lonnie with them. Don't worry, Fairy Godmother. I'm sure their just fine."

Even as he spoke, Mal's phone began to vibrate. "Oh! That's probably Jay now," she told them, hastily pulling it out and glancing at the number. 

It was Evie. 

"Um..." Mal glanced up nervously to see the two of them watching her curiously. "Do you mind if I take this?"

FG shook her head. Ben looked a bit confused but nodded just the same. Mal didn't wait. She turned and, shielding the screen from view, brought it up to her ear and practically ran out of the room. Carlos and Jane spotted her and quickly started after her.

"Mal? MAL? Are you there?" Evie's voice was cracking, possibly with fear.

"I'm here, Evie, I'm here," Mal assured her as she moved away from the cavern and back down the silent passageway where no one could overhear her. "Evie, what's wrong? Are you crying?" She wanted to ask how she had cell service but she figured that could wait for later. 

"Mal, I don't know what happened. One minute we were fighting Queenie's shadows. The next...I just...I lost control. We...we escaped but, I...I passed out. And when I woke up...Doug..."

"Evie!" Mal barked sharply. "What are you talking about? Where's Doug?"

Evie started to speak but coughed and broke down into a fit of tears. 

"EVIE!"

"He's...he's gone, Mal!"

 _Gone? Surely not...he couldn't be...she couldn't have...even her powers aren't_ that _strong..._

I can't...I can't find him!" Evie blurted out. Instantly, Mal relaxed and silently whispered a ' _thank_ _you_ '. "Mal! What if something horrible happened to him? What if my mother found out we were here? What if she has Doug?"

At that moment, Carlos and Jane came running down the corridor to join them. Carlos, surprisingly, was the one out of breath. "Mal?" Jane questioned, looking worried. "What's going on?"

"Mal?" came Evie's voice. "Is that the others?"

"Yeah..." Mal said, not taking her eyes off of Carlos and Jane. "Yeah, Evie. We're here. You just hang tight, all right? We'll find our Dragonfires and then we'll be over there lickity-split to help you look, all right?"

"All right," Evie sniffled and hung up. 

"What was that all about?" Carlos questioned.

Mal opened her mouth to answer but was cut short as Ben suddenly appeared out of the darkness. "Hey," the king interrupted. "Sorry...but...FG's ready to tell us where your Dragonfire is."

Mal took a deep breath and nodded. She signaled for them to about-face and walk back down the corridor. As she went, she couldn't stop the thoughts swirling through her brain. It was all overwhelming. The omen. The war. If they didn't stop it, all of Auradon would crumble.

_Beware the daughter of magic and death. Beware the unseen force. Beware the shadows of hate and pride. Beware the coming of the warring tide._

None of the others knew anything about it, of course. It was just a legend, something her mother had once told her in place of a bedtime story. But now, she knew better. This was Auradon, the world of magic and prophecies. And what scared Mal the most was knowing that, when it did finally decide to come true, there was nothing she would be able to do to stop it. 

"Hey, Mal?" Carlos suddenly piped up. "Did you really just say 'lickity-split'?"

"Yeah," Mal answered with a slight smirk. "I did. But let's never speak of that again, all right?"

They all laughed and, for the moment, all her fears slipped away. They had to find the Dragonfires. The omen could wait. 

Besides, it wasn't like it was about to come true...

 _Right_?


	14. Who's the Fairest of Them All?

_"Evie..."_

_The darkness was all around her. She could hear a voice calling out to her from the fog. She felt the blackness pressing in on her from every side. She tried to brush it away but it did her no good. It was still there, clinging to her like icky cobwebs._

_Where was she? This wasn't the Isle. Was she even awake? From where she stood, she couldn't recognize anything. But that voice...she'd know that voice anywhere..._

_"Evie...help me..."_

_"Doug?" Evie cried, twirled around, searching the shadows frantically. "Doug! Where are you? DOUG!" She tried to take a step forwards but her foot hit nothing but air and she staggered, flailing helplessly, trying to regain her balance. A crevice opened up in the earth before her and she stumbled backwards with a silent scream._

_There was a shift in the fog and a figure emerged from the darkness. Long dirty-blond hair, ice-blue eyes, and a goofy smile slightly overshadowed with hurt. There was no doubt in Evie's mind who this was._

_"DOUG!" Evie ran to him and threw her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. "Are you okay? I've looked everywhere for you! Where are you? How are you here, talking to me?"_

_"The...the Dragonfire," Doug explained, hugging her back. Evie could hear his heart racing. She guessed that, wherever he was, he was terrified. "It...it can do so much more than give visions...Evie...it found you. Evie." He frowned and his voice suddenly grew more serious. Evie wiped away her tears and stepped back, looking straight into his eyes. Something was wrong, she could tell. She just didn't know what. "I need you. Please. I...I found your Dragonfire. But...I got caught. I don't...I don't know where I am..."_

_"I'll find you!" Evie promised. "Who caught you?"_

_"You're...mother..." Doug's voice sounded weak. It sounded like he was in pain. "Evie...Evie,_ hurry _..._ please _...I think...I think she's going to kill me."_

_"I'm coming!" Evie yelled in a panic, searching wildly for a way out. "Doug! Hold on! I'm coming! Hang on for me!"_

_Doug suddenly glanced behind him as though hearing someone coming. "She's here! I have to go. Evie--"_

_He was cut off abruptly as the earth gave a violet jerk and Evie screamed as she fell backwards into nothingness..._

She struggled out of the nightmare and hastily went about the room, packing her things together. Doug was in danger. She had to rescue him! And she knew exactly where she had to go...

Straight to her mother's castle, the one place she'd never wanted to return to. But, she told herself. This was for Doug. She knew she'd do anything for him...including facing her mother. Who knows what Evil Queen would do to him if she learned that he was a dwarf. He'd certainly be dead if she'd forced out his love for Evie. 

She felt a chill run up and down her spine. 

Doug was amazing in so many ways. He was sweet, kind, and caring... and Evil Queen would _crush_ him. He would never survive interrogation. In fact, Evie would be surprised if he hadn't spilled everything already. 

She was in such a hurry that she didn't stop to think about what had been bothering her. She didn't realize it at the time, but, she had known immediately what had been wrong, something that only a few people knew...something her mother surely would never have thought of...

Doug's eyes were green.

***

Evil Queen released Doug with a roar of triumph. The boy collapsed at her feet, heaving and sobbing pitifully. 

"Stand up!" Evil Queen snapped at him. "And quit your blubbering, dwarf! QUEENIE!" she screamed for the girl who appeared almost immediately, a look of pure malice written all over her face. "Evie will be coming for this pathetic half-breed. Have your army ready to meet her. I don't want her trying to sneak in like this one." She kicked Doug but he gave no response and simply curled up into a tighter, more pitiful ball.

"Of course, Queen," Queenie muttered, bowing slightly. "And what of the dwarf?" she glanced down hatefully at Doug who continued to lay there, too weak to even try and rise. "He has a Dragonfire. You know what that means--"

"Of course I do! But it's none of your concern how I dispose of him. There's no reason to worry, Q. I won't let him off the Isle _alive_. Especially if my little Evie feels the way I think she does about him."

Queenie blinked. "What?"

"Is it not obvious? Did you not see what happened? How he broke her down? She's in _love_. With a _dwarf_."

"Oof." Queenie smirked. "That must be a blow to the ego, huh? Your one and only daughter, in love with the son of one of your worst enemies?"

Evil Queen glared at her.

"I'll take that as a yes," Queenie smirked wickedly. She then held up her cell phone as it began to ring. "But I don't think you're going to have to worry about that for too much longer. It's the Queen. She's coming for the boy." 

***

"So this is Agrabah?" Jay gasped.

"This is it," Lonnie confirmed.

The two of them were standing on the top of a hill, overlooking the large, and somewhat disorderly, city of genies and flying carpets. A large brick wall surrounded the territory. And, speaking of flying carpets, Jay whooped as two sped out of the city and whooshed over their heads. Lonnie beamed as she watched the colorful rugs disappear into the distance and then turned back to Jay who matched her grin.

"This is incredible!" Jay exclaimed.

"And you haven't seen anything yet!" Lonnie told him, grabbing his hand and pulling him down the hill after her. Jay laughed and didn't nearly keep up. "Jay!" Lonnie called to him. "Come on! Hurry up!"

"I'm coming!" Jay yelled after her. 

What they didn't realize was that they were being watched. And the certain red-head smiled. They were getting so close...but they didn't yet realize what it was they'd found...

"Two Dragonfires have been secured," came a low voice from her phone. The Queen of Heart's daughter, if she recalled correctly. And the Evil Queen. Two once powerful rulers of their worlds, reduced to nothing but simple servants. But, one day, all the world would know her name. Not just Auradon...but those fools who had destroyed her once...in a land where magic did not exist...and then she would have her revenge.

There was only one problem with this master scheme. 

"However, there has been a slight wrinkle in the plan," Queenie went on. 

The woman sighed and lifted her eyes towards the heavens. _Of course_ she already knew about the boy. Nothing happened without her knowing about it...and the magic...she'd recognize it anywhere. Of course she would. It was _hers_ after all. She was furious and wanted nothing more than to know how a simple boy had gotten a hold of her powers...the _most powerful sorceress_ in all realities. She suspected Maleficent had messed up. Again. 

_Ugh. Fools. Why must I do_ everything _myself?_

She wished to stay longer and observe the two who were getting dangerously close to the red Dragonfire. But she knew she was needed back on the Isle. But she was concerned. Not about the Dragonfire...but about the boy. She feared his reaction when he saw her. She feared what he might remember. 

After all, they'd met before.


	15. Legend of the Lost

_There it is!_

Mal sighed in relief as she rounded the last bend and saw it resting against the glass class.

_Right where Fairy Godmother said it would be._

_"That's_ the Dragonfire?" Uma scoffed from her left. Behind them, Harry and Gil caught up at last. Harry, looking slightly winded from all of the stairs, Gil, full out gasping against a large marble pillar. _"_ It looks more like something out of Evie's jewelry collection! Are you sure that _this_ is what Fairy Godmother wanted you to find?"

"Just a wee jewel?" Harry added, incredulously. "Doesn't look all that intimidating."

Mal sighed. What was it with her friends and underestimating the amount of power a tiny, seemingly innocent, inanimate object could contain? "It's not how it looks on the outside," she sighed as she eyed the protective case surrounding it. "Just because it's small doesn't mean it's not powerful."

"Yeah," Uma scoffed. "And I'm queen of the sea!" She put her hands on her hips. "And even if that _is_ the real Dragonfire, how do you intend on getting to it? It's in there. And there's _no way_ you can get to it without setting off the traps."

"Traps?" Mal whipped around to face her. "What traps?"

Uma rolled her eyes and gestured skywards. Mal followed where she was pointing. Sure enough, hidden behind some loose wooden panels, she could see the holes that no doubt contained the traps just waiting to impale them if they tried to get too close. "Oh..." Mal groaned. "Well, that's not going to work." She paused for a moment, thinking. And then she smirked. "I need my spell book."

"Uh...what?" Uma blinked. "But didn't you lock that up in some dusty old museum a long time ago?"

Mal continued to smirk and lifted her arms in an exaggerated shrug. That was when Uma realized where they were. "Oh." She turned to Harry and Gil. " _Gil!_ " she snapped at the poor boy who was still trying to catch his breath. She snapped her fingers and pointed off down an adjacent hallway. "Go find Mal's spell book!"

"But I just--" Gil began to argue.

Uma gave him a look. _That_ look. The one that told Gaston's son that it would be a mistake to continue down this path. The blond sighed and obeyed, heading off towards the Hall of Villains. Once they'd turned over their talismans to Fairy Godmother, she'd taken them and locked them in a small room near the back of the building so that none of them could be tempted to use them ever again. But desperate times called for desperate measures. Fairy Godmother would forgive her eventually, after they successfully defeated Maleficent and saved Auradon. _Again_.

"Oh!" Mal shouted suddenly. " _Gil_!"

The boy slid to a halt. "Yes?"

"Get the Magic Mirror while you're there, would you?"

Gil nodded and started off again. 

Uma and Harry looked confused as Mal went back to studying the traps. "The Magic Mirror?" Uma echoed. "What are you going to be able to do with that? Evie's the only one who can use it, you know. And, last I checked, she isn't here."

"I know. But I still think it might come in handy later. After all, it can help her find things." Mal smirked at the memory. How long ago it seemed since they'd left the Isle. _Three years. We've all grown up so much. I'm engaged to Ben, Evie is in love with Doug, Carlos is dating Jane, and Jay likes Lonnie. This is our home and our world now._

_What happens if we can't protect that world? What if we can't stop Maleficent? Beast warned us of the danger of taking the barrier down by I don't think any of us had taken it seriously. Was he right about all of the warnings? Where is Maleficent? Why can't I sense her anywhere?_

"Um... _hello_? Auradon to Mal. I think we're supposed to be getting that little magic watchamacallit. Not daydreaming about... _whatever it is_ you're doing." 

Mal snapped out of her own thoughts to glance over at an impatient Uma.

The daughter of Ursala gestured to the Dragonfire pointedly. Beside her, Harry was clearly becoming restless. Gil's footsteps had vanished in the distance, leaving the three of them alone. "Okay...so...anyone have any ideas?"

"Why don't we just fight our way over there and smash the case?" Harry suggested. 

Both Mal and Uma rolled their eyes. "No, genius," Uma growled. "The Fairy Godmother put this thing here. I doubt she would have made it easy to get. If you ask me, it probably has some kind of barrier or spell around it. So we should probably figure out how to get past _that_ first."

"And _that_ is what the spell book is for." 

Uma scoffed as Mal felt her eyes being drawn to a small stand off to the side of the room that she hadn't previously noticed. _What is that_? "Uma..." she began, hastily moving away from the Dragonfire to a stand filled with papers and scrolls. A small symbol had been sketched onto the upper left corner of the paper. For some reason, Mal was sure she'd seen it before. "What's this?"

Uma came over to join her. "Huh. I don't know. But doesn't it look familiar?"

Mal nodded. "It does. Harry? Ever seen it before?"

"No," he responded. "But that symbol," he pointed to it with his hook. "That's the symbol of a powerful sorceress."

"Someone on the Isle?" Mal guessed.

Harry shook his head. "Not that I know of. And I've only seen markings like this once, in Badness Class, remember?"

"No, I cut class to work at my mom's restaurant, but that makes perfect sense!" Uma replied. "It has to be a sign of a villain! That's why it's locked up here!"

"But...not a villain on the Isle, or else we'd know who it was," Mal corrected with a frown. _How is that possible? I thought Beast locked_ all _the villains on the Isle of the Lost._

Uma shrugged. "Maybe they were like pink-princess-girl and were good to begin with."

"But I still think we'd have heard about it, at least. I mean, look at it. Every villain has their own calling card. What does it look like to you?"

Harry squinted. "A...dragon? A...doll...maybe?"

Uma rolled her eyes while Mal gave the pirate a forced smile. A dragon or a doll did not narrow down their search too much. A dragon could easily have stood for Maleficent...only it wasn't because Mal knew the sign...and it was different than this one. And a doll? What villain in their right mind would use a _doll_ as their calling card? It was just... _lame_. 

"What does the inscription say?" Harry went on, leaning closer to try and read the scratches and marks on the page.

"Do I _look_ like I speak ancient witch to you?" Uma asked him sharply. "Why don't you ask Mal? She knows more about magic than I do!"

"Uh...I _was_ actually asking Mal," Harry admitted. Uma hit him on the arm. "Ow!" he protested. "What was _that_ for?"

"If you don't know the answer to that," Uma responded. "Than I don't think I should tell you."

Harry frowned. "What is _that_ supposed to mean?"

"Okay...guys..." Mal began, trying to divert them from their squabble and focus back in on their mission. 

"It _means_ that you should pay more attention to who you direct your questions to!" Uma snapped, stepping forwards to face down the boy who did not seem at all intimidated by her presence.

" _Guys--_ "

"Oh yeah?" Harry shot back, matching her glare. "Well then maybe I'd outta--"

"GUYS!" Mal shouted, pushing her way in between the two of them. "What are you _saying_? Uma, you're not this jealous! Harry, you don't snap back at Uma! It's the Dragonfire. It's effecting your brains. I think we should leave for now, at least until Gil gets back with my spell book."

"Ah--no--"

"But--"

"No 'buts'!" Mal interjected, slinging an arm around each of their shoulders and leading them towards the doors. Once they were outside, she closed the oak doors behind them and gestured for them to sit down on the steps and wait. After all, there wasn't really anything else they could do at the moment.

With a sigh, Mal pulled out her phone and checked for any messages from her friends. To her surprise, she found one waiting from Jay.

**Got our Dragonfire! On our way back now (via magic carpet _woah-hoo!_ ). Should be there in a few hours.**

Mal smiled slightly. _Well, that means we now have three Dragonfires. Doug's, Carlos', and Jay's. That just leaves mine, Evie's, and Ben's._

Speaking of Ben, she decided to text him and see how their search was going (and if Chad and Audrey were _actually being_ any help).

**Hey, how's Charmington? Having any luck?**

He answered back almost immediately.

**Yeah, actually. Chad thinks he knows where it might be hidden and is taking us there right now! Fingers-crossed. We can be back in about five hours.**

**I'm crossing my fingers now.**

Mal frowned, realizing that she hadn't heard anything further from Evie...or Doug. She hoped they were all right and had managed to find each other again. The Isle could be a scary place, she knew that from personal experience. Doug would go mad trying to blend in, and Evie could lose her mind _worrying_ about him blending in.

 **Evie?** She texted the girl. **Are you there?**

Hasty footsteps interrupted her and she glanced up just as Gil came bursting through the doors, waving the spell book triumphantly in the air. 

"Oh, thank badness!" Uma exclaimed, leaping to her feet. "I don't think I could have sat there for another minute!"

Mal rolled her eyes. _You were there for like, a minute and a half tops_. She held out her hand eagerly and Gil handed her the book before plopping down between Harry and Uma. Mal hastily began flipping through pages until she found one for breaking glass. It seemed easy enough. 

But something else also caught her eye.

On the opposite page in the upper left corner...the same symbol from inside the museum. 

Curious, she read the paragraph underneath it.

_The Sign of the Lost:_

_Once originally thought to be the calling card of a hero, the magical aura of the Sign cannot be overshadowed. In its thirty lines and arches, it tells a story...a legend about a 'chosen one', a great hero blessed with the power of both good and evil. Legends speak of a child, the offspring of both a hero and a villain, who will either heal and protect Auradon...or utterly destroy it. The Sign of the Lost is said to appear when the child begins to develop their powers. And when that happens...the final countdown has begun and the final battle--the war between good and evil--will begin._

Mal's eyes widened as she read. This was the second time in the same day that she'd seen this symbol. Did that mean it was time? Was there someone out there who had both hero and villain blood? If so, how was it possible? She and her friends had been the first villains to come from the Isle, right? It certainly couldn't have been anyone in Auradon.

That meant, whoever this 'chosen one' was, they had to be on the Isle.

Which meant that was where they needed to go next. "Uma!" she called, handing the spell book back over her shoulder. "Take this and go get the Dragonfire."

"Uh...okay? And what are you going to do?"

Mal didn't answer as she quickly bought up both Jay's and Carlos' numbers and began to text them simultaneously.

**Guys! Get back here as fast as you can! I think we may have another problem on our hands! Everybody meet on the bridge to the Isle!**

**WHAT?** Carlos answered first.

 **What is it? We're on our way** , Jay added.

"Mal!" Uma interrupted, stepping down the steps to join her. "What is going on?"

Mal spun to face them. "I just figured something out," she explained. "Maleficent could be behind some of this, but she can't be controlling Evie's sudden burst of power, or the Dragonfires for that matter. Which can only mean one thing..."

"What?" Gil questioned, earning scowls from the others. " _What_?" he repeated, looking at them, confused.

Mal ignored this and went on. She had everyone's full attention now.

"I think there's another villain in Auradon."


	16. With True Love's Kiss, the Spell Shall Break?

"We're here, Mal," Carlos announced as he, Jane, and Ben hurried to the middle of the bridge to join the others. "What's going on?"

"We're waiting for Jay and Lonnie," Mal explained. "And then I'll tell you all at once." She was busy on her phone, attempting for the fifth time to get a hold of Evie. Nothing. Straight to voicemail. Mal was really beginning to get concerned now. It wasn't like Evie not to text her back. Something must be very wrong. 

Mal!" came Lonnie's voice as a magic carpet swooped overhead and landed gracefully at the foot of the bridge. Jay helped Lonnie off and then the two of them raced to join the others. "We got here as fast as we could!"

"Why is everyone here?" Jay questioned, his gaze scanning all of the AKs and VKs. 

"Dragonfires?" Mal questioned, holding up her own. 

"Right here," Jay answered, showing his to her. Ben stepped up beside him and held his out as well. Carlos did as well. The rocks, shining in red, orange, green, and purple, seemed to reflect the sunlight, showering the bridge in a rainbow of colors. Each began to sparkle and shine in the presence of their counterparts. Four of six in the matching set. Only two more and they'd have them all and Maleficent would be powerless. 

"But why are we in such a rush?" Jane questioned. "And where are Evie and Doug? Shouldn't they have been back a long time ago?"

Mal nodded. "And that's why we're here. Something's coming to Auradon. Something that we've never seen before."

"Another villain?" Ben frowned. "But you can handle them, right? Just like you did with Maleficent? And Uma?"

" _Hey_!" Uma protested, stepping between them and folding her arms. She glanced at Mal and jabbed a thumb over her shoulder. "He does know I'm standing right here doesn't he?"

Mal ignored the sea witch and shook her head, already beginning to scan through her spell book for the page she'd seen before. "Take a look at this," she told them, holding the book up for them all to see. "I found this symbol on a stand inside the museum."

"It's the Sign of the Lost," Uma added.

At this, Ben, Lonnie, and Jane's eyes widened as if they recognized it. Mal glanced at them with a frown. "What? What is it?" She turned to Ben. "Why do you all have those looks on your faces?"

"It's just...the Legend of the Lost...every Auradonian knows the stories--sorry, _legends_ \-- of the 'chosen one'." Ben explained. "But...you're saying you've seen this?" He pointed to the book. "You know what that means, right?"

"That somewhere out there, there is someone who can end the war with the villains once and for all. Yeah...know all about it," Mal responded.

"But...wait...hold on..." Carlos now butted his way into the conversation. "I thought the barrier was down. Aren't we pretty much done fighting the villains?"

"Not according to the legends," Ben said. "And definitely not by Maleficent's standards. Maybe some of the villains are good now...but that doesn't necessarily mean all of them are. We still have a lot of enemies, many of whom would like to see villains take over the world."

"But, back to Evie and Doug," Jane spoke up. "Why aren't they here? Why are they still on the Isle? Has something happened? Are they in trouble? Is that why--"

"Yes," Mal cut her off hastily. "And that's why we're here. As some of you know, Evie managed to call me a while ago. She said that Doug was missing and she suspected that Evil Queen found out they were on the Isle and got him when Evie was recovering from a fight." 

"Oh no!" Lonnie gasped, her hands flying to her mouth in shock. "So what can we do? We have to go and get him back, right?"

"Of course we will," Ben interrupted before Mal could say anything. The purplette folded her arms and rocked back and forth on her heels, waiting for his bold and daring plan. "But..." he added quickly, seeing her look. "We're definitely going to need a plan. If Evil Queen _does_ have Doug, then she probably knows about the Dragonfires. So, it's safe to assume that she has at least one of them. And we have no way of knowing for sure if Evie has acquired hers as of now. So, we have to suppose that Evie doesn't have her Dragonfire, that it's still out there somewhere, and that Evil Queen either has it, or is looking for it now."

"So...what you're saying is...we have no idea what's happening on the Isle or where the two lovebirds might be?" Uma translated.

"That about sums it up, yeah."

Uma sighed and leaned against Harry who looked just as irritated. Gil folded his arms thoughtfully. "Well, in that case, I suggest we split up. Half of us go find Evie's Dragonfire and the other half try to find the two of them before either gets too injured. So, may I suggest that myself, Harry, Gil, and Ben start the search for Evie and Doug while the rest of you start scouring the island for the jewel. Yeah? Yeah..." She didn't wait for the others to respond. With a gesture to her first and second mate, she started towards the Isle.

The others stood there for a moment, stunned. And then, Mal hastily hurried after her. "Uma! Wait!" 

The turquoise-haired girl paused and turned back around. "What?" she asked with a slight eye-roll. 

"Evie's my best friend," Mal explained. "And I think you could use my help."

"Mine too," Carlos added. 

"Me three," Jay agreed. 

"Doug has been my friend for years," Ben added. "And I think I can say Evie's become like family...to all of us. I think, for the time being at least, we should all stay together."

Uma looked from him, to Mal, and then to all of the others. All shared the same look of determination. She was outvoted. "Ugh!" she groaned, throwing her hands into the air. " _Fine_! Let's just _go_!" She turned on her heel and marched towards the graffiti-covered archway. Harry and Gil hastily followed her. A moment later, so did the others. 

"So this is the Isle," Jane said, her voice trembling as they passed under the gateway and were instantly submerged in darkness. "It's..."

"Spooky," Carlos finished, shuddering as he too gazed around at the crooked and narrow streets that he'd once called home. He truly hoped Cruella wasn't anywhere nearby. "Um...Mal?" he questioned. "How exactly are we supposed to find Evie and Doug? The Isle is...pretty big."

"You see? That's why I said we needed to split up!" Uma exclaimed. 

"Well, okay, but we've already decided that we're staying together," Mal interjected. Jane and Ben nodded quickly. 

"Well, come on then!" Harry interrupted before Uma could argue any more. He had taken the lead and was quickly sliding through the shadows, quieter than a ghost. "Let's _go_." He ushered them past with his hook and then, with a glance behind him, he quickly followed. 

* * *

Evie hurried through the deserted streets. The thunder intensified as she reached the castle. Taking a deep breath, she hastily tied her hair up into a loose ponytail and took a deep breath, mentally preparing herself for the worst. It had been three years since she'd last seen her mother. And, with Maleficent no longer head of the Isle, she feared Evil Queen might have turned as cruel and bitter-hearted from the sudden increase in power.

She just hoped Doug was still alive.

She dropped the drawbridge and had just begun to pull out her lock-picking kit when she heard the thunder of several footsteps behind her. She turned, cursing herself for getting caught so quickly, and let out a sigh of relief to see Ben and the others hurrying towards her. Uma and Harry stepped protectively in front of her while Mal took her hand and dragged her away from the door. 

"Mal..." Evie began in a squeak. 

Mal just shook her head and gestured for her to be quiet and pulled her in for a hug. At that moment, Evie lost it. The bone-crushing weight of their argument, of her keeping secrets from all her friends, and Doug being captured all came out in an ocean of unstoppable tears. 

Even as the tears came pouring down her cheeks, Evie spotted the glint of four brightly colored stones in the hands of her friends. _They found their Dragonfires. That means I'm the last one. Of course,_ she thought bitterly. I _wasn't good enough to face Uma and didn't do any good against Audrey. Makes sense that I'd be last. I'm the least heroic hero here._

_And now Doug's in danger._

_Because of me._

"Um...I'm sorry to break this up," Uma suddenly interrupted, stepping up beside them as Evie backed up and wiped the tears out of her eyes, trying to save what ever mascara remained. "But we really should be figuring out how to get inside Evil Queen's castle. Yeah? Let's go." 

"Yikes," Carlos commented as the sea witch stalked away. "Anyone else think Uma's starting to sound creepily like Mal?"

The others said nothing and just headed towards the door. Gil laughed and slapped Carlos on the shoulder before the two boys hurried after the others. "So," Gil questioned as they knelt down and began to investigate the door. "How are we going to get through that?"

"I could kick it down," Jay offered.

"Oh, because we all know how well _that_ went last time," Mal said with an eye roll.

"It would have worked, _Mal_ , if you hadn't performed that stupid little spell to show off!"

"Well, _Jay_ , had you proceeded to kick the door down, you would have gotten us caught! Not like you didn't almost with the stunt you pulled!"

"Okay? Guys?" Uma glanced up from studying the lock. "I don't know what you are talking about and, frankly, it sounds intriguing. But, do you think you could focus on the task at hand? Unless you _want_ to leave the dwarf in there with the woman who probably hates his kind the most?"

"I think we should get in there," Evie whispered, her voice almost inaudible. Mal shot her a concerned glance that the bluenette pointedly ignored as Harry attempted to jimmy the lock. "Oh...just let me do it, okay? We _actually_ _want_ to get in today." She didn't see Harry's flabbergasted expression or seem to notice her blunt rudeness as she pushed him aside and began to work on the lock herself.

"Um...what's gotten into her?" Uma questioned, watching the princess fiddle and jiggle the latch. 

Mal shrugged, not really knowing herself. "Probably has something to do with her true love being locked away in a castle at the mercy of her mother. And how dead Doug will be when-- _not if_ \--when Evil Queen realizes he's Dopey's son."

"Yeah...I can see that. Mother would have killed me if I had fallen in love with the son of Ariel," Uma folded her arms pointedly. "Really, Evie, you couldn't have fallen in love with _anyone_ else? I mean, prince or no, surely there was someone else you could have liked!"

Mal glared at her as Evie sniffed back her tears. "You're not clear on the concept of _true love_ are you? Uma, you were _there_! You saw it for yourself! Evie can't choose who she's destined to love anymore than your mother can trick Ariel into giving up her voice again!"

"Okay, okay, sheesh!" Uma raised her hands in surrender. "No reason to go all beast on me...no offense," she added with a quick glance towards Ben who shrugged it off. "How's that lock coming?"

"Almost done...and volia!" Evie stood up suddenly and carefully pushed the door open. Cautiously, she peered into the darkness, and, not seeing anyone, signaled for the others to come closer. Mal took the lead, Ben, Uma, and Jay flanking her. The rest of them followed closely behind. Evie stepped lightly across the room and, scanning the darkness for traps, snapped her fingers quietly. Immediately, lights all around the room flickered to life. Carlos and Gil flinched as this sudden action but the others seemed chill with it.

"Whoa. So this is your home?" Carlos gasped.

"Yeah, I've never actually been inside," Mal confessed. "E, it's a bit...spooky."

Evie nodded. "Tell me about it. I lived here for sixteen years."

"Yeah, no wonder you were always so eager to have a plotting-party at my house."

"A...what?" Ben asked.

"It's like a slumber-party," Carlos explained. "Only Isle style"

"Oh."

"Well, I think you're all missing one very crucial point," Uma interrupted again.

"Yeah," Gil spoke up. "If this is Evil Queen's castle, where is she? And where's Doug?"

"Oh...yeah...good point. Doug? DOUG?" Evie began shouting for her boyfriend. Her voice echoed back to her, but there was no sign of the dwarf. She cupped her hands around her mouth. " _DOUG_!" 

"Evie, go check upstairs," Mal suggested. "We'll spread out down here to search."

"Yeah...okay." Evie didn't hesitate. She turned and darted for the steps, leaping up them three at a time. She reached the top in a matter of seconds and peered over the banister, spotting her friends as they began to search the lower level. Then, she turned and began checking every room and opening every door. "Doug? Doug, where are you? Are you here? _Doug_!" 

No sign of him.

Evie was nearly in tears as she reached the final door, the one that her mother had always kept locked, the one that lead to the real Magic Mirror, she knew. _Maybe...just maybe._ Taking a deep breath, she opened the door, revealing a spiraling staircase. _Here goes nothing_. 

She started running up the stairs. Never had she run so fast or with so much purpose. She felt her heart beating viciously against her rib cage and she was sure she was running on pure adrenaline by that point. "Doug? DOUG! PLEASE!"

She threw open the second door and found herself in a room filled to the brim with old junk and unusable furniture. She saw the faint blue glow that could mean only one thing. _The Magic_ _Mirror_. She nervously moved towards it, feeling as though its power was flowing through her. 

And then, as she neared, she saw him, lying at the foot of the mirror, bruised, broken, and motionless, most likely unconscious.

" _Doug_!" 

She hurried over to his side, kneeling down down beside him. He looked as though he'd been reaching for something but had gotten clocked before he'd gotten the chance. After checking for a pulse and letting out a sigh relief, she scanned the floor around him for the Dragonfire. There was no sign of it. _Oh no, no no no no no!_

"Doug!" She shook his shoulders roughly, trying to wake him up. "Doug, we have to go! Get up! Come on! Doug...don't make me kiss you..."

Doug groaned and began to stir. Evie backed up as she found him staring at her and tears of joy trickled down her cheeks. 

"Evie..." Doug groaned.

Evie pushed herself back and gasped. "Oh my badness! Doug! You're hurt!" She hugged him tightly, ignoring his gasps of pain. "I'm so sorry!" she cried. "I should never have asked to you to come. This is all my fault!"

"Evie..." Doug coughed, struggling weakly to push her away. "Evie...run...go...it's a trap...your mother...she has the Dragonfire...E, _please_..."

"No!" Evie pulled him closer. Doug grunted by didn't try and stop her. She suspected he must have a few cracked ribs. "No, I won't leave you! Not again! This is my fault and I won't leave you here to face my mistakes! We are going to get out of here together, okay?"

"Evie--"

"Oh, how utterly _repulsing_!" came the cackling laugh that Evie recognized all too well. 

"Mother," she said, slowly standing up and turning on her heels. "That's _enough_. Let him go. This is about _us_. Leave Doug out of it."

"Mother?" Evil Queen sneered as she emerged from the shadows behind them. "My, how Auradon must have changed you, Evie." She eyed Doug. "In more ways than one. I do recall making only _one_ simple request of you, dear. I asked that you find yourself a prince. Someone who could take care of you...and me...with lots of money and a big castle. And what do you do? You go and you fall in love with a miserable no-good underling. A _dwarf_. And what can he do for you? He has no castle, no money, and _certainly_ no love for a princess like you!"

"That's not true!"Evie snapped, her face turning a bit red as she continued to shield Doug protectively. "You don't know anything about him! So, maybe he's not a prince, but he's more of a gentleman than any royalty I've found. And he loved me for who I am on the inside, not just how I look! Which is more than I can say for you!"

"EVIE!" Evil Queen gasped, flinching as though stung by her words. "How can you _say_ that? I gave sixteen years of my life to you! I loved you with every bit of my heart and I raised you to be just like me!"

"You see?" Evie nearly cried. "That's the problem! You wanted me to be just like you, all because of a petty rivalry with a fourteen year old girl! _Thirty years ago_! You don't understand what love is! And that is why the Magic Mirror chose Snow White!"

"How _dare_ you speak to me in such a tone!" Evil Queen screeched. "You know nothing about being a villain! Not since you ran away to Auradon!"

"You _forced_ me to go!" Evie screamed. "I didn't want to leave! I didn't _want_ to be good! But, you know what? It was the best thing that ever happened to me! I found friends who care about me and someone who loves me for me! I really wish you could understand that! But we don't have time for this! Maleficent is out there," she pointed towards where she thought Auradon would be. "And she's trying to destroy everything! You say you're the 'fairiest of them all', right? So prove it! Do the right thing for once! Help us save Auradon!"

"And what?" EQ growled. "Get the same treatment as Hades or Morgana? And how did that go for them? Didn't Morgana end up _dead?"_

Doug tensed, Evie noticed, though she didn't know why. "I'll put in a good word for you," the bluenette promised, holding out her hand desperately to her mother. Doug weakly took her other arm, whispering a hoarse warning. Evie ignored this, keeping her eyes firmly fixed on her mother who seemed to hesitate and actually consider this option. "Mommy," Evie went on, reverting to her old talk. "Please _. Come with us._ Help us show Auradon that you've changed."

The Evil Queen stared at the two of them, anger flashing in her eyes. Her gaze hovered over Evie's outstretched hand. And, for a moment, she actually seemed to consider it. But, whatever she was thinking was obliterated a moment later when footsteps echoed off of the building and Queenie came running through the door a moment later.

"EQ!" she gasped, not yet noticing the two teens cowering there. "Maleficent's daughter and her friends are here! They're in the castle! They're here for the Dragonfires! We've got to prepare for--" She stopped, seeing Evie and Doug standing there. "Well, _that_ was easy." Then, she turned to Evil Queen who still had made no move to restrain them. "What are you _waiting_ for? They're right here! _Get them_!"

"Mom..." Evie began pleadingly. " _Please_." She took Doug's hand and they both stared desperately up at the queen. 

"EQ..." Queenie began warningly. "What are you doing? You know what'll happen if _she_ doesn't get them! Just...stop them...before they can get the Dragonfires back! EQ," she added in a gentler voice. "It's just a few more hours. I'm sure she won't hurt Evie. Now, _come on_ , help me."

"Mommy?" Evie repeated as her heart beat furiously in her chest. 

EQ faced her sadly. "I'm sorry my little evilett." 

With that, she suddenly raised her hand, revealing their Dragonfires. Then, without another word, she blasted the two teens backwards into the wall. 


	17. Dragonfight

Doug felt his body smash into the brick wall and fall hard among a mountain of boxes and furniture. For a moment, he lay there, stunned, pain screaming through his nerves. He gasped, head still fuzzy from being knocked unconscious but struggling frantically to fit all the missing pieces in the puzzle together. _The Dragonfires...she has the Dragonfires...Evie? EVIE!_

He scrambled to his feet, searching around frantically for the bluenette. Instead, his eyes fell on her mother. Their eyes met and Doug immediately scrambled back, his heart throbbing relentlessly. He wanted to hide, to escape her deadly glare. But where could he go? He was trapped. There was nothing around him that could offer protection. He was stranded in the middle of the sea of useless boxes...and his family's archenemy was standing feet away from him, looking poised to kill, the Dragonfires shining dangerously in her hands.

He tensed, ready to bolt at a moment's notice, holding the Evil Queen's glare evenly. If he let her see how frightened he was, then he was already as good as dead. He stood there stiffly as the stones began to glow and pulse once more with light. 

"Doug...?"

There was a groan from a few feet away and the dwarf tore his eyes away from his enemy to locate Evie who was just beginning to emerge from among a pile of old chairs and cushions. It was only a momentary distraction. But it was all that Evil Queen needed. 

Before he knew what had hit him, he found himself once again flying through the air, the force of the impact propelling him backwards through a full length mirror and tumbling head over heels across the dusty and icy ground. _Great_ , he groaned, still not a hundred percent comprehending what was happening. _Seven years of bad luck for me_. He struggled to stand back up, but the Evil Queen was quicker and was on top of him in a matter of second. She grabbed him by the throat and drug him roughly into the air to match her height. He gasped, struggling to pry her hands from his neck even as he dangled helplessly in midair. 

"You were a fool to come here," Evie's mother hissed. "And you were a fool to ever trust my daughter. _True love_ is nothing more than a _fairy tale,_ a pitiful _lie_. Tell me, dwarf, why would Evie ever love someone like you? You...you're a _nothing_. She would _never_ love the likes of you!"

"Mom..." Evie gasped, stumbling to her feet but falling back down almost as rapidly. " _Please_..."

"NO! ENOUGH!" Evil Queen bellowed, dropping Doug who hit the ground on all fours and remained there, gasping for breath. The Queen, meanwhile, turned back towards her daughter with fire in her eyes. "Evie..." she began, he voice immediately softening. "I'm so sorry that you had to go to that dreadful place. And after all you did for me, I hated to leave you there. But it's about to be all alright again. Don't worry. Mommy's here. I have an ally. She's on her way. And when she gets here, you won't have to worry about this underling's poisonous influence ever again. She'll take care of him. And then we can be together again."

"She?" Evie groaned, obviously ignoring everything else her mother had just said. "Who's she? Maleficent?"

"EVIE!" Mal's voice echoed off of the walls. 

Doug coughed and looked up, squinting through broken lenses to see the purplette charge into the room, followed closely by the other VKs, along with Ben, Jane, and Lonnie. Immediately, the panic in his heart loosened. Mal would save them! They were going to make it! They were going to be all right! He gave a small smile that was not missed by the Evil Queen as she spun to face the new arrivals. "FOOLS!" she screamed at them all.

Mal stepped forward, holding her Dragonfire in front of her like a kind of weapon. "Let them go," she ordered, her eyes glowing green. Evie's mother certainly wasn't Maleficent. Perhaps all Mal would have to do was intimidate her and she'd back down. " _Now_."

Doug suddenly wondered why _he_ couldn't be intimidating like that.

Evil Queen laughed. "Or what?" she questioned. "You'll _blast_ me? Tsk. Tsk. And I thought you were the smart one, Mal. You see..." She moved away from them with a swish of her long black cape. "I have two of your precious magic stone thingies. You blast me...and I smash them." She held them beneath a rolling pin. "You get what I'm saying here?"

"NO! _DON'T_!" Mal screamed, reaching desperately for them. Doug didn't understand what was causing her to panic so much. He did, however, notice that the silver stone was pulsing with light in sync with his thudding heart. " _Look,_ " Mal went on, sounding a bit desperate. "I know what you think of us. And I get it, really. But Auradon was once your home too, wasn't it? If you destroy those Dragonfires, you destroy any hope of saving the world! Come on, EQ, be smart. Think about what you're doing. If Auradon is eliminated, what do you think will happen to you?"

"I'll finally be free from this vile place," Evil Queen snapped. But still, she hesitated. 

And that was all Mal needed.

"Dragonfires _to me_!" she screamed. The stones shot from the Evil Queen's clenched fist to Mal who jumped up and caught them in one swift motion. "Evie! Doug!" the purplette went on. "You guys okay?"

"I'm fine," Doug lied, trying to stand up and hide the wince of pain. Evie hobbled over to join him and used his shoulder to balance herself. 

"Yeah, me too," she added.

Doug flashed her a look of concern that she ignored. His attention was diverted seconds later as Mal tossed him the silver and blue Dragonfires and he handed Evie's off to her. 

"Get ready!" Carlos yelled.

And that was when Doug remembered that Evil Queen hadn't been the only villain in the room. 

He turned, spotting Carlos, Uma, and Harry busy fighting off Queenie's henchmen while Jay took on the princess herself. But no matter how many times he tried to hit her, she just kept disappearing and reappearing a few feet away with a wry smirk on her face. 

"Carlos! Jay! Ben! Use your Dragonfires!" Mal bellowed out orders. "Evie, go help them! Doug--"

He waited hopefully. He wanted revenge as much as any of them. 

" _Stay back_!" Mal finished. "Your Dragonfire is prophecy. You can't do anything here!" With that, she drew a sword from thin air and dove into the battle alongside the others. 

With an apologetic glance in his direction, Evie followed her friend's lead. Doug stood there in stunned silence. After all he'd been through...after coming all this way...and he couldn't even help in the battle. He looked down at his hands in disgust. He knew he wasn't a hero like the rest of them. He was just a sidekick who got captured on his first solo mission. He was probably just a hindrance to the others. 

No wonder Mal had wanted him to go with Jane back in Auradon. Even Fairy Godmother's daughter was tougher than he was. He didn't deserve to be here...to be chosen by a Dragonfire. _Why me_? He demanded, staring down at the small gem. Why not anyone else? _Uma? Harry? Lonnie? Any of them would have been a better choice than me. What do I have to offer? I'm a dwarf. I mine jewels and create music. Nothing special._ I'm _nothing special._

The VKs and AKs had already formed a defensive wall; Mal, Evie, and Uma in the center, the boys, Lonnie, and Jane surrounding them in a close knit circle as they feinted and dodged blow after blow. They worked as a perfect team. Especially Jay and Lonnie who seemed to have found a common pattern and were rapidly destroying the shadows edging towards them. 

Ben and Jane fought side by side. Mal tossed Ben a sword and signaled for Jane to get ready for what was coming next. Jay and Carlos disposed of two shadows with identical sparks of fire from their Dragonfires while Uma and Harry parred and blocked attacks and lured the unwary creatures right to Mal and Ben who finished them up with a single blow.

Doug was so distracted watching the others fight that he didn't realize Queenie was sneaking up behind him until it was too late and he had been jerked back and the knife had been shoved against his throat. He let out a terrified squeak but the others couldn't hear him. They were all too engaged in their own battles to notice what was going on on the sidelines. 

"Don't move," Queenie hissed. 

Doug could feel his heart racing but he did as he was told. He clutched his Dragonfire tighter and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. _Come on, Doug_ , he told himself. _Think! The others can't help you. You have to get yourself free._ Summoning all of his courage, he swung his fist around in the hope of it colliding with something.

It did. Queenie's hand. 

She caught his punch, twisted his arm backwards, and flipped him over her shoulder. He hit the ground, wheezing and winded. "Was that really a smart idea?" Queenie sneered, looking down at him with a wicked smirk. "Now, dwarf, why don't you give me the Dragonfire before I take it from you? Save us both the trouble." She held out her hand.

Doug tightened his grip on his Dragonfire and shook his head weakly. 

Queenie glared. " _No_?" she growled. "Why you...you're going to give me the Dragonfire and you're going to give it to me _right now_!" She lunged at him, struggling to wrestle the gem from his grasp. Doug held the stone closer to his chest, refusing to let go. 

The others finally realized something was wrong. Evie slashed the last shadow to bits and turned towards him. "DOUG!" she screamed, hurrying towards him, grabbing Queenie and trying to yank her away. The two girls fell back in a clawing mess, neither able to get the advantage on the other. Doug lay there, too panicked to move. 

Ben and Lonnie hurried over and helped him to his feet and, together, the three of them watched as Queenie and Evie went at each other. Evil Queen attempted to sneak away but Uma and Harry quickly cornered her and forced her to watch as the two girls continued to fight. 

"You think you're so _special_ , Queen," the red-head snarled. "Just because you were chosen to go to Auradon does not mean you're any better than the rest of us! You seem to have forgotten who you really are. You're still evil, self-centered, rotten, and no good. Maybe I'd outta show-- _oof_!" She staggered back as Evie's fist collided with her jaw. 

"You still talk too much," Evie snapped. 

Jay and Carlos whooped in laughter. 

Ben laughed and Doug cracked a smile, readjusting his glasses nervously. Across the way, Evil Queen began to laugh. Everyone, minus Evie and Queenie, turned to face the queen in confusion. The smile plastered on her face was evident. She knew something.

"Tick tock," she laughed. 

Before anyone could ask what she was talking about, there was a tremendous explosion and something came barreling through the side of the building. The sonic explosion packed enough of a punch to send everyone in the room flying backwards. 

Fog rolled in through the new dent in the wall and, a moment later, a tall figure appeared in the center of the room, her long red hair flowing behind her. She seemed to be levitating in midair. Her gaze scanned the shocked teens even as Queenie scrambled back away from Evie and the Evil Queen joined her. The woman's gaze paused when her eyes fell on Doug who was struggling to stand up after smashing down on an old desk. 

Queenie broke into a wicked laugh as she focused her attention on the group of friends.

"Don't look now, but, your time as Auradon's heroes is up."


	18. The New Queen of the Isle

" _Morgana_."

Mal gasped. Even as Queenie said the woman's name, memories were flooding back to her. The name. Everything she'd learned about the wicked sorceress in Badness class when she was younger. Next to Maleficent, Morgana was the most feared villain in all of Auradon, mostly due to her sudden disappearance when Beast imprisoned all the villains. She'd never been caught. And the sign Mal had seen in her spell book. _The sign is hers._

_But what is she doing here?_

How _is she here?_

_And why is her sign in the museum when she can't possibly be the chosen one?_

The woman, Morgana, turned towards Queenie and Evil Queen impatiently. Queenie quickly dropped to one knee and Evie's mother gave a small gesture that was close to a bow. "It took you long enough," she spoke to the two villains, her voice steely and emotionless.

"My apologies, my Queen," Queenie muttered, averting her gaze. "But we ran into a bit of...difficulty." Her gaze fell hatefully on Evie and Doug as they stood up and moved cautiously to join Mal and the others near the back of the room. Mal noticed that Evie's eyes were watering, as though she was crying or struggling to hold back her powers again. 

Morgana didn't blink. "I see."

Mal frowned. The woman's body seemed to be made out of thin air or dust. It kept flickering in and out, disappearing and reappearing in a different place. And her feet...she seemed to be standing on a cloud of air. It was a phenomenon that puzzled Mal. Although she'd learned a few things from Maleficent, Mal was far from being as experienced as that. It was...incredible. And terrifying. Definitely terrifying. 

"And they have Maleficent's weapon." It wasn't a question. 

"W-who is this?" Ben stammered, lifting his sword nervously. He may not have known who this new arrival was, but he was smart enough to know that she was not on their side. "Mal, what's going on?"

"I don't know," Mal admitted honestly. She pointed her own blade at the sorceress. "But that's Morgana. And I think she's here for the Dragonfires."

" _Morgana_? As in--"

"As in the one your father tried to lock away on this blasted island twenty years ago," Morgana hissed, turning to face him. " _Yes_."

Mal saw her raise her hand and knew what was going to happen and didn't hesitate. "Evie...DO IT!" She didn't turn around. She didn't have to. The light emitting from the bluenette's body was blatant enough. "Take cover!" she hissed to Ben, shoving him to the ground. At the same time, Carlos grabbed Jane and pushed her down while Lonnie and Jay took cover behind an old couch. Doug threw his arms over his head and ducked down behind Evie, bracing himself for a loud explosion.

"GET DOWN! SHE'S ABOUT TO BLOW!" Queenie shrieked, diving for cover as the Evil Queen did the same. Even though Morgana whipped around, it was far too late. The light burst from Evie and shot towards the sorceress. Mal covered her eyes, expecting the woman to go flying backwards like she'd done the first time Evie had used her powers. To her immense shock, and horror, Morgana simply held out her hands and caught the light as though it was nothing more than a baseball, crushing it in between her hands with a small smirk.

"That's _it_?" she sneered as the teens stared on in shock. " _That's_ all you've got? Tiny magic tricks can't hurt me!"

"Well, try this one on for size!" Jay suddenly burst from hiding and vaulted the couch, holding his glowing Dragonfire in front of him. A second passed, and suddenly a huge ball of fire seemed to shoot from his hand.

Morgana just hovered there as the wall of flames sped towards her. At the last possible minute, her body split in two, creating a hole for the fire to shoot through and explode into the mountain of rubbish behind her. Jane screamed and Doug blanched as the sorceress pulled herself back together and whipped towards Jay.

"JAY! LOOK OUT!" Mal screamed.

It was too late. With one swift movement, Morgana sent Jay flying backwards through the air and he crashed down on a bunch of cooking wear. 

"JAY!" Everyone screamed. Carlos, Jane, and Lonnie started towards him but where stopped abruptly by Queenie's army of shadows. As the three battled to get free, Evie and Mal hurried towards Jay who was struggling to get back up. Evie reached him first and heaved him to his feet as Mal caught up. Doug and Ben joined them a moment later.

"That is not going to help!" Mal gasped as they gathered together, eyeing the villains as their friends continued to battle. "We need a plan! The Dragonfires--they will injure her if we can land a direct hit. So, here's what we're going to do...Evie, Ben, Jay, go left. Uma, Harry, go with them. Carlos, Jane, Lonnie, and Gil, go right. Doug," she turned to address the dwarf. "You come with me." 

Everyone nodded. 

" _Go_!" Mal snapped and they broke apart into their distinct groups. Mal didn't hesitate. She grabbed a hold of Doug's arm and yanked him after her. "Come on, _come on_!" she hissed, not glancing back. " _Move it_!"

" _Mal_!" Doug yelped as he was drug across the room. "What are we doing? What are the others doing? Where are we _going_?"

"Just shut your mouth and follow me!" Mal snapped as they darted out of the room and back down the stairs towards the exit. "There's something I need to tell you," Mal added as they crossed the moat and turned only once they were a good distance away from the castle. "It's about Evie."

Doug frowned. "Mal...can't this wait? I think we have bigger problems to deal with right now..." He gestured towards the upper tower where sporadic bursts of light could be seen.

Mal shook her head. "No! This is too important! Doug, do you know the legend of the chosen one? The Legend of the Lost?"

Doug nodded. "Of course I do! Everyone knows the legends that--" He froze, eyes widening as the realization crashed over him. "Wait...you're not saying. _..Evie_...You _are_! _How_? _Why_?"

"Her father is the huntsman," Mal explained. "She is descended from a hero and a villain."

Doug fell back against a wall with a look of horror and shock, his breath seemingly taken away. " _Wow_. Evie. And you're sure?" He glanced up at her hopefully. She knew what he was thinking. Maybe she'd made a mistake. Maybe it wasn't Evie. _Surely_ not Evie. _But it_ has _to be_. Mal thought of all the magic flares that her friend had been experiencing. They weren't ordinary spells...certainly not ones that Evil Queen had ever had. Everything pointed to Evie. She was the chosen one. She _had_ to be.

"Yes," Mal told him. "It's her. I'm sure of it."

Doug nodded weakly. "Does she--"

"Know?" Mal finished for him. "No. Not yet. There hasn't exactly been an opportune moment to tell her, if you know what I mean."

"Yeah..."

"All right," Mal went on with a deep breath. "I want you to stay here. No," she added quickly as he opened his mouth to argue. "I'm not going to argue with you on this. Evie can't focus on defeating anyone if she's worrying about whether or not you're safe and you know I'm right so don't even try and try and debate this with me."

Doug merely nodded his consent. "You're right. I won't be much help in there anyway. Here." He fished around in his pocket for a moment before revealing the silver Dragonfire and handing it to her. Both noticed the hissing noise as it passed hands but neither said anything. "Take this. Maybe you'll have more luck than I did." 

"Doug..." Mal began hesitantly. She knew he was feeling worthless. She didn't know how to comfort him. Evie knew him much better than Mal. Mal had always been too busy falling in love with Ben or plotting revenge to take the time to get to know him. She hated herself for it. _What would Evie do_? "I--"

"No...it's okay." Doug gave her a pitiful attempt at a crooked smirk as he hopped up on a fence and crossed his arms patiently. "I'll wait here for you guys. Just don't forget me when you go back to Auradon, all right?"

Mal stared at him. How could they possibly forget? Evie would _kill_ them.

Doug smirked for real this time. "That was a joke, Mal." Though he was being humorous, the doubt was still evident in his words and in his eyes. 

Mal hesitated, and then nodded slowly. "Stay here," she told him as she began to back away. "And I _mean_ it," she added. Doug raised his hands innocently. Mal raised an eyebrow but turned on her heels and started back towards the castle, fingering both Dragonfires nervously and taking a long deep breath.

***

Doug sighed too. He sat back against the wall and rested his head against the bricks, closing his eyes tightly. _Evie...how could it be Evie?_ He'd heard the stories. Every hero's kid had. His mother had told him them when he was just a child. He felt his heart squeeze at the memories. Sitting beside the fire after a cold day sledding in the snow with the woodland animals, his mother would tell him tales of a time when villains and heroes lived together as friends...and the day when they would again. He remembered dreaming of that time, drawing it in his notebooks when he should have been studying. For a long time, he'd hoped and prayed that he'd get to see that day. And now, was it possible that the legend was about to come true? 

He glanced up towards the castle, watching as light illuminated everything. That was good, right? That meant his friends were still fighting. But could they win against _Morgana_? They'd studied her in History of Auradon class back in tenth grade. Apparently she was one of the most powerful beings in the world...next to Merlin himself, of course. And the two had never gotten along well. Morgana had wanted to control the world by raising an army of the undead and Merlin left all his magic to the Prime Merlinian, an average everyday boy who lived outside the borders of Auradon. She'd been defeated and Ben's father had attempted to bring her here...but she'd managed to get away. Though it was still unclear how, Doug personally suspected that it had something to do with her abilities to shape-shift. 

_Evie can do it. She can beat Morgana. And if she really_ is _the one, then, maybe, this is the last time we'll have any trouble with the villains._

It was a wishful thought. The villains would always be villains. It would take more than one confrontation to stop a war. But it was a start. A start that Ben had initiated. He'd changed everything. Maybe...just maybe...his friends stood a chance. 

He inhaled deeply and opened his eyes, staring up at the stars. Evening had come on quickly. It had to be at least...ten o' clock. He glanced at his watch. They had been in there for half-an-hour. Had they done it? Had they won? Was it all over?

He was just considering going back and making sure that everything was going okay when there was a loud crash from overhead. His head shot towards the sound, jaw dropping as the window in the tower shattered and a dark cloud of dust burst from inside and disappeared into the heavens. A loud scream of "NO!" followed promptly and Doug could make out Mal's purple hair as she stuck her head out the window and beat her fist against the frame in disgust.

Two minutes later, everyone hurried through the front door and Doug rushed over to join them. "What happened?" he demanded, grabbing Evie's arm as she hurried past him. "Evie, what did she do? Did you stop her? What was that thing coming out of the window?"

She hesitated before turning to face him. "Doug, I'm sorry, but we really don't have time to talk. Morgana got away. We have to go after her." She started off again. 

"She _what_? She got away? Where? Where is she going?"

"Doug--" Evie began again. 

"We failed," Lonnie groaned as she and Jane walked by. "We weren't...strong enough."

"Okay," Mal interrupted, appearing among the group a moment later. "This is no time to feel sorry for ourselves. We've got a bigger problem. Everybody take your Dragonfires." She handed Doug his back with a meaningful glance. "We've got to stop Morgana once and for all."

"How do we do that?" Doug questioned. "Where is Morgana going?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Mal asked, turning to face him slowly. "She wants revenge. There's only one place Morgana would go."

The direness of the situation was evident in every word she said.

"We have to get back to Auradon before she does."


	19. The Secret of the Flame

Ben agreed with Mal. They had to get to Auradon. But how were they going to get there before Morgana? She had a great head start already. And even if they ran all the way back to Auradon Prep, they'd be far too late. 

"Yeah, but, Mal," he thought aloud, moving closer to his fiance so he could whisper to her. "How...how are we going to get back? We didn't bring the limo..."

"We don't need the limo," Mal waved his worry off. "The six of us can get to Auradon another way." She turned towards Jane, Lonnie, Uma, Harry, and Gil. "You guys should go on ahead," she told them. "See if you can get back in time to warn everyone."

"Right," Jane said with a nervous nod. "But what are you going to do?"

"We're going first class," Mal answered with a smirk. The others didn't wait for an explanation. Uma took the lead and they took off down the alley at a run. Even before they'd disappeared into the shadows, Mal had already turned back to the five teens standing expectantly around her. 

"Mal?" Carlos whispered.

"Mal," Jay added louder. "What are you thinking?"

Mal smirked. "There's something about the Dragonfires that I didn't tell you all. Now I think it's time I showed you what they can really do. Eves?" She turned towards Evie who looked surprised but stepped forward obediently. "Hold out your Dragonfire," Mal instructed, pulling out hers as well. The two stones crackled as they touched. Mal glanced at the others. "Well? What are you waiting for? Dragonfires! _Now_!"

The others hurried to obey, fumbling around for their stones.

Mal frowned impatiently. "Come on! _Come on_!" She gestured for them to get a move on. They obeyed. First Carlos stepped up. Then Jay. Then Doug. Then Ben. They all stood in a tight circle, holding out their Dragonfires in a confused fashion. 

Ben frowned. What was Mal up to? He knew she must know something about the stones...they _had_ been her mother's after all. Was it safe? Knowing Mal, probably not. But it wasn't like they really had any other option. They certainly couldn't let Morgana destroy Auradon. They _had_ to get there first.

Though _how_ they were going to do that, Ben was still a bit foggy. Nevertheless, he trusted Mal. She had to have a plan. She always did. "Mal?" he questioned. "What are the Dragonfires going to do to help?"

She smirked, eyes flashing emerald green. "Everybody get ready. _Spread_ _out_!" she added, tearing her Dragonfire away and stepping back as the smoke began to rise around her. She transformed into a dragon in a matter of seconds. But, instead of the smoke going away as it normally did, it burst forward with a little help from Mal's wings and surrounded the teens.

Ben was instantly blinded by the purple haze. He heard Jay laugh gleefully, possibly knowing what was happening, and Doug shriek in absolute terror. Ben didn't know what was going on, but he had a feeling that it was going to be something big. A rumble of thunder echoed throughout the heavens, followed by a tremendous flash of light. Ben fell backwards and everything went dark... 

He opened his eyes a moment later, gasping and blinking furiously. He found himself lying on his back, staring up at the heavens. The smog was gone and the clearing was once again dark and silent. _Silent?_ "Mal?" he groaned, starting to stand up, feeling his legs shaking underneath him. Make that _four_ legs. Ben gasped, lifting a hand which had morphed into a scaly foot. He touched his face. It too had grown scaly. And _long_. Without glancing around, he knew he would find a tail as well. _I'm a dragon!_ he realized. _Just like Mal_! The only obvious difference was that he was green while Mal was purple.

And speaking of Mal.

"Ben!" He heard her voice and he turned, spotting her hovering overhead. Even in dragon form, he recognized the ghost of a smile on her face. 

"Mal!" he tried to shout but the only sound that came out was a roar.

Mal shook her head and tapped her skull. "You can't talk," she telepathed to him. "Your mind. Use your thoughts."

"Sounds like something out of a movie, huh?"

Both turned at the flat but obvious voice of Jay as he appeared, his hulking red form glimmering in the moonlight. He paused mid-stride, noticing their looks. "What?"

"You...handled the transformation well," Ben thought, unsure how the telepathy worked exactly. But Jay seemed to understand as he gave a short nod.

"Yeah. Well, it helps when you've been turned into a frog, a rabbit, and a porcupine by someone who was learning to do mag--"

"All right, Jay," Mal cut him off abruptly. "I think we get it."

"Get what?"

 _Evie_. Her voice was high, a bit fearful. She emerged from the shadows to join them. Ben's eyes widened. She was slimmer than Mal with blue scales and startling brown eyes. She looked more like she was designed for the water. It matched her Dragonfire perfectly. "Whoa..." she breathed, glancing down at her reflection in a pool of water. "I'm...beautiful."

Mal smiled slightly as she came to hover closer. "E, where's Carlos? Is he with you?" 

"No. I'm right here." 

There was a shuffle and the orange dragon stuck his head over the end of a nearby building. He stared down at them with a mixture of fear and awe. "Whoa...okay... _Mal_? What exactly did your spell _do_?"

Mal smiled and landed among them and signaled for Carlos to come down which he did a bit clumsily. "This the secret of the Dragonfires," she explained. "This phenomenon can only happen when all six stones are aligned. My mother called it the Bond Effect. Your stones have literally merged with you and revealed their true powers."

"True powers?" Jay questioned. "I thought they were only good for blasting things."

"Or seeing the future," Evie put in. "Which reminds me. Where's Doug?"

Mal frowned, glancing around. 

Ben did the same. _She's right_ , he thought, counting the dragons in the ring. _There are only five of us._ Before he could say anything, Evie had already broken away from the others and was searching the alley frantically, half-flying, half-hopping from shadow to shadow. 

"Doug? DOUG?" she screamed, her voice coming out as a roar. She fluttered into the air for a moment, her head shooting around around wildly. "Doug, _where are you_?" Her eyes widened as she reached the end of the alley and still didn't spot him and kept going. She didn't even seem to realize that anyone or any _thing_ else was there.

"EVIE!" Mal bellowed in Ben's head. He winced slightly but Mal didn't seem to notice as she took off after her friend. "EVIE! HE CAN'T HEAR YOU IF YOU KEEP ROARING LIKE A RAGING LUNATIC! GET. BACK. HERE. THIS. _INSTANT_!" She sprang into the air, narrowly dodging a couple of buildings, and came down hard on the road, blocking Evie's frantic search. "Calm down!" she snapped, holding out a wing to stop her. "We'll find Doug, all right? But you're not going to do him any good by getting yourself hurt." 

Evie stared at her, tears welling up in her eyes. Mal saw this and softened. "It's all right," she told her reassuringly. "Come on, let's go back to the others. Then, together, we'll go look for Doug, all right?"

Ben waited, a bit impatiently, as the two girls hurried back to join them. "Okay," he said, instantly taking charge, ignoring Mal's look of confusion. "Let's think about this logically. We were all here when the transformation took place, correct?"

They all nodded.

"Which logically means that Doug must be around somewhere, right?" Ben finished. 

"But he didn't answer when I called," Evie sounded desperate.

Mal rolled her eyes. "Well, that's because you were screaming your head off," she pointed out. "Which Doug would not have understood, considering you can't make words now." 

"Uh...guys?" Carlos' voice interrupted their plotting. They turned, spotting his orange tail disappearing over the top of a nearby roof. "I think I found him."

"What?" Evie gasped as they hastened after Carlos. "How in Auradon did he get up _there_?" She took the lead, Mal and Ben were right behind her as they landed on the small rooftop and Evie moved forwards towards where Carlos was waiting, staring up at them wide-eyed. Ben watched as Evie disappeared around the corner and had just settled down to wait when her voice rose above the stillness. "OH MY BADNESS! MAL! GET OVER HERE! _HURRY_!"

Mal didn't question why. She rushed around the bend. With a glance towards Jay, Ben followed. He rounded the corner and found them huddled around Doug's unmoving form. His very _human_ form. "What happened?" Ben gasped as he rushed up to join them and stare down at his friend. Doug's eyes were closed, his clothes were singed and black, and a tremendous scorch mark encompassed the ground around him. "Why is he not a dragon?"

Evie couldn't speak. She kept choking on her tears. "Mal...Mal...please... _do something_..." she whispered. 

Ben understood why she was concerned. This wasn't like before in Evil Queen's castle when Doug had simply been unconscious. Something far different was happening. And, by the look on Mal's face, it was something really serious. " _Stand back_!" she snapped at them all, holding out her wings and shoeing them away. Her eyes flashed green as she knelt down next to Doug and hissed something that the others didn't understand. 

Ben pulled a sobbing Evie back and she buried her head in his chest. Ben kept his eyes fixed on Mal as she transformed back into her human form and gently lifted Doug's head. Light was pulsing through her hands. It collided with the Dragonfire that was clutched tightly in his hand and a bright light began to pulse across the rooftop. 

_Come on, Doug_ , Ben thought as Evie slowly turned around to face Mal. _Come on_. 

The light intensified. Mal gasped. The magic was evidently draining her fast. There was one final blast of light, and Mal collapsed beside Doug, panting. "Mal!" Ben yelled, hurrying over to her, just as she began to get up. "Are you all right?" he asked, helping her up.

"I'm fine," she grunted. "What about Doug?"

Even as she spoke, Doug groaned and began to stir. "Owww. Hey, guys. What did I miss?" He started to sit up and Mal helped him up. He blinked, and then noticed Ben who was standing next to Mal. "Ben?" he gasped. " _Ben_?" he shrieked, leaping back with a yell. He turned around slowly and spotted the others standing there. "What... _what_...?" 

Evie hurried over to him. "Doug! What happened? Are you all right?" 

Doug jumped slightly. He frowned. "Evie? Is that you? I can't...understand you."

"He doesn't know what you are saying," Mal reminded her. "His Dragonfire didn't work."

"How is that possible?" Carlos asked. "He was there with us the whole time."

Mal shook her head. "I don't know. But I think we might have a bigger problem to worry about."

"What's that?" Jay questioned.

"If Doug can't fly, then we can't get back to Auradon before Morgana."

"I'll take him," Ben offered, drawing their attentions. "I'm probably the strongest out of all of us," he explained when Mal seemed a bit hesitant. 

"But you don't even know how to fly," Mal argued.

Ben shrugged. "I'll figure it out. Doug, is that all right with you?" 

Doug stared. 

Ben sighed. "Okay. This is going to be a bit harder than I thought. You." He pointed at Doug. "Come. With. Me." He held out his wings and knelt down, pointing first to Doug and then himself. "Do you understand?"

"Um..." Doug glanced back at Mal to make sure he understood correctly. She nodded. "Sure?" He walked over and struggled onto the king's back. 

"I feel kind of like I'm riding a flying horse," Doug admitted, returning the Dragonfire to his pocket and grabbing a hold of Ben's scales.

 _Just don't think about kicking me_ , Ben thought. Mal stifled a laugh. Ben blushed, forgetting that she could hear his thoughts. He shook his head and moved a little, testing to see if Doug was ready. The dwarf suddenly grasped Ben's scales tighter. 

"Ready?" Mal questioned as she turned and, transforming back into a dragon, leaped off of the rooftop and headed straight for the heavens. The others all whooped and shouted as they followed. Ben was last. He could feel Doug trembling and he tried to push it out of his brain. 

_Get ready_ , he told his friend silently as he turned and started running for the edge. He felt Doug suddenly lurch forward and grab a hold of his neck for dear life. As Ben hit the end of the roof, he kicked off as he had seen Mal do and beat his wings furiously. He almost closed his eyes, afraid that he was going to fall and crash-land on the ground. But, to his surprise, he flew. 

_I'm doing it! I'm flying_! He laughed as the others came back to swoop around him. Carlos and Evie on the left, Mal on the right. Jay was next to Mal, but flying upside down, whooping. 

"Nice going, Ben!" Carlos called.

"Great job!" Evie added. 

"Now, let's get to Auradon!" Mal decided. She put on a burst of speed and took off.

Ben laughed and hurried after her, just now hearing a weak whimper from above him. 

Suddenly he realized Doug had been screaming the whole time. 


	20. Auradon Under Siege

"AHHHHHH!" 

Doug had been screaming for five consecutive minutes before any of the others seemed to notice. He was hugging Ben tightly, eyes squeezed shut, barely breathing. He felt the wind whipping past him and the heavy wing beats of Ben as the king struggled to hold the two of them aloft. Meanwhile, Doug's brain was racing. How had the others turned into dragons? It had to have been when their Dragonfires touched. But he'd done the same, hadn't he? Why hadn't the spell worked on him? Why wasn't he a dragon like the rest of them? Was he not enough of a hero? Was that it? Had the Dragonfire rejected him after all? Maybe it realized that he wasn't good enough after all. Maybe he wasn't some hero that could save Auradon from danger. He certainly hadn't been any help before. Why would anything choose him now? _It wouldn't,_ he thought miserably. _I'm not chosen. And that's why I couldn't change like the others. I'm not a hero._

There was a grunt that could only have come from Mal. It sounded like she was snapping at one of them. Doug slowly lifted his head, blinking away the tears of panic and fear and staring across the cloud field towards Mal who gave him a pointed look before growling something to Ben. Even if he couldn't understand what Mal was saying, Doug had a fairly good idea what she was thinking: _Somebody find a way to shut him up before he warns every villain from Charmington to Pirate's Lagoon that we're here._

Evie took the lead, curling her wings up and dropping from the air like a rock. She disappeared behind the poofy clouds in seconds. Near her, Jay sliced through the fog and did a tiny back flip to show off. Carlos narrowed his eyes and focused on keeping up with Mal who was scanning the land below them as they approached. 

Doug held his breath and forced himself to look down at the dizzying ground hundreds of feet down. The crystal bridge was hardly more than a spec against the sparkling sea. And he could just make out the dark figures hurrying across the water towards Auradon. They'd never make it in time, he knew. They'd be lucky if they even managed to get to school before Morgana began her invasion. _Which_ _is_ _why_ _we_ _have_ _to_ _get_ _there_ _first_ , he thought.

 _Can't Ben fly_ any _faster?_

Evie reappeared from the clouds and slowed her pace to match the others. She seemed to be smiling, though, what about, Doug couldn't guess. They were hundreds of feet up in the air. The nearest land was too far down to touch. And he was starting to feel a bit dizzy. There was certainly _nothing_ to be happy about. 

Even his Uncle _Happy_ could not be happy in this sort of situation.

Mal grunted something else. Doug really wished he could understand what she was saying. He gripped Ben's scales tighter as the five dragons pulled tighter into a formation and Mal advanced to take the lead. Mal suddenly dropped from the air and the others followed. Doug held on tighter and closed his eyes as he experienced the moment of weightlessness. At that moment, he was _really_ glad he hadn't eaten anything for breakfast that morning.

Ben dove straight down. 

The land was hurtling towards them at a breakneck speed. Clouds exploded in Doug's eyes as he tried to hide his face behind Ben's head. He couldn't help it. He squeezed his eyes shut and started to scream again. 

A minute passed. And then two. A gentle thump. 

Doug cautiously opened his eyes. The sky was gone. Green was around him in every direction. Green and brown _. Earth. Ground. I'm on the ground._ He inhaled and exhaled deeply, thankful to still be alive. He glanced over at Evie and the others as they landed as well. They stood in a loose ring and all eyes fell on him. He understood what they were silently saying: _Get off. We're here_.

Sheepishly, he dismounted Ben. Every muscle in his body was shaking. He used a tree for a balance, unsure that he would even be able to stand. At least the world had seemed to stop spinning. He stood there for a moment, and, as he did, he was aware of a roar and a flash of purple light. When he turned, Evie was already there. She took his hands in hers. Doug couldn't stop shaking. Evie frowned, obviously noticing this. 

"Doug," she whispered to him. "Why didn't you tell anyone you have Acrophobia?" Her gentle gaze. The caring expression on her face. This was totally a different side of Evie than he'd seen only a short time ago on the Isle. _Two sides of the same coin_ , Doug thought unconsciously. 

"Hey...what's...Acro--whatever?" Jay questioned.

"It's the fear of heights," Carlos explained. He nodded toward Doug. "Makes sense, actually."

Evie ignored them and kept her gaze fixed on Doug who hesitated before responding. "I'm a dwarf," he finally said. "No one in my family handles altitude well. Well, except for Snow White." 

"Snow White?" Mal barked, just now jumping in on the conversation. "But she's not _really_ related to you, is she?"

Doug shook his head. "No. But she's the closest thing to a mother I've ever had. She treats Derek and I like sons."

Evie blinked, confused. "What about your real mom?"

Doug shrugged. "No clue. She died when I was four. But Dad said she wasn't a dwarf."

"Makes sense," Ben commented. "Honestly, I'd always wondered how you were so..." He couldn't find the words so he made an exaggerated motion above his head for _tall_. And it was true. Doug stood at 5'9'', nearly a foot taller than his parents...and his brother. He was definitely the odd one out. And it made family get-togethers rather difficult. Particularly when he lived in a cottage where he had to duck to get into every room. 

"Yeah," Doug chuckled nervously. 

"Well, while we're having Doug spill his entire life story," Mal interrupted. She turned to Doug and addressed him now. "Is there anything else you can tell us?" 

Doug knew what she was implying. _Anything you can tell us that might explain why you didn't turn into a dragon like the rest of us._ He could practically feel her digging around in his brain for the illusive answer. He wished he knew and could sift it out of his filing cabinet of a brain and hand it to her. But, he had to tell them something. "Er...I'm claustrophobic also..." he confessed.

Evie's eyes widened. Doug guessed what she was thinking. A dwarf? Claustrophobic? How did that _happen_? It was so rare. And it made him pretty useless in the mines, too. He couldn't get more than five steps into the caves without having a severe panic attack. Another reason Derek was so much stronger than him. Derek did all the manual labor and Doug read books and studied all day. 

"Claustro what now?" Jay groaned. "Seriously! Does _anybody_ around here speak English?"

"Claustrophobic means he's afraid of tight spaces," Carlos translated again. 

"I _know_ what it means!" Jay protested.

Carlos just rolled his eyes. 

"Well, um, that's...good to know," Mal said. "But I actually meant anything useful for stopping Morgana."

Doug shrugged. He didn't know anything more about the sorceress than any of them. And probably less even. He'd never been very fond of History class anyway. He scarcely even remembered discussing Morgana. Probably because very little was known about her. The only thing he really remembered was something about someone called the Prime Merlinian who could defeat her once and for all. But that had already happened, hadn't it? _So, without the Prime Merlinian, how are we supposed to be able to stop Morgana from destroying the world?_

"Is there anything in your spell book?" Evie suggested.

Mal shrugged and pulled out the large book, scanning the table of contents. "Just the spell to raise the dead," she answered. "And for some reason, I get the sense that that is one spell that we do _not_ want to try." She closed the book and slipped it back into her backpack. "So I guess that means we'd better start by finding the villains before they start wrecking havoc."

At her words, Ben's phone began to ring. Hastily, he pulled it from his pocket and read the message, frowning as he did. "That was Jane," he explained to the others. "Someone has put the barrier up around Auradon. They're stuck outside." 

There was a rumble like thunder and, suddenly, behind him, a huge wall of yellow light shot from behind the trees and quickly encompassed the entire area. The teens stared in disbelief. Carlos was the first to regain his voice. "And now we're locked _inside_. Guys?" He looked at the others a bit fearfully. "You _do_ know what this means, don't you? We're on our own." 

_On our own?_ Doug felt weak. The villains were loose in Auradon and half of their friends were trapped on the bridge. Was this part of Morgana's plan? Did she want the six of them to find her? What did she want from them? _The Dragonfires_ , he guessed. _And, tallying up all that we know for sure, there are six of us. And if Maleficent is nearby, there's four of them. That means there's two more of us. We've got this. Yeah. Totally._

He gulped, glancing around at the others and noticing their concerned expressions. Clearly they were thinking the same thing. _We're all gonna die aren't we?_

Mal was the first to break the uncomfortable silence. "I think we need a game plan," she decided. "So, let's find out who's still left and then we'll all meet at Evie's. From there we can decide how best to attack."

The others nodded. Mal turned on her heel and led the way back through the woods. The others hastily followed, falling into a protective formation. Mal in the front. Evie and Ben right behind her, texting everybody they knew. Doug shuffled after them and Jay and Carlos brought up the rear, both staying alert, keeping watch for an ambush.

Doug kept his head down as he walked. With a sigh, he fingered the Dragonfire, watching as it pulsed in his hand. He wished he knew why it had refused to work for him now. And he thought of the visions. Were those actually going to come true? His family... _Evie._..was Morgana about to take away everything he'd ever cared about?

But his mind kept reverting back to the first few moments when Morgana had first arrived at the Evil Queen's castle and their eyes had met. It had seemed like she'd been genuinely surprised to see him. Or was it just the overall shock of seeing all of them standing there, ready to fight? 

Then why did it seem like she recognized him? It hadn't been a look to all of them. It had been a look to _him._ It was as if she knew him. But that was impossible, right? Surely they hadn't met before. He'd remember if they'd had.

Wouldn't he?


	21. Magic Cards and Battle Strategies

"I can't get a hold of anyone," Evie groaned, flopping down in one of her chairs and scanning frantically through her contacts list. "Everyone must be out of range. Maybe the barrier is blocking the signal?" 

Mal watched her friends' reactions as they all piled into Evie's living room. Ben and Doug where first through the door, Ben looking stressed and Doug panicked. Jay and Carlos followed, Jay keeping watch while Carlos hastily did something with his phone...probably trying to send another message to Jane. He'd attempted about twenty times in the past five minutes. To Mal's knowledge, none had gotten through the barrier. She spotted Dizzy, Celia, and the twins stick their heads into the room curiously before Evie noticed them and gently ushered them back to their rooms and told them to stay there.

"We need a plan," Mal decided as Jay cautiously closed the door and the six of them gathered around the room, some moving to take a seat on the couches or chairs, others electing to lean near the windows. "For now at least, we have to assume that we are the only ones here and that the others are not close enough to help."

"Well, what can we do?" Carlos questioned, finally giving up on his phone and stuffing it back into his pocket. "We don't have Maleficent's scepter, or any idea where Morgana is going, or how we're supposed to be able to stop her."

"So, then maybe we should think about what we _do_ have," Ben suggested. "We have the Dragonfires. We have friends. And we're all still here, right?" Everyone nodded. "Well, let's start with that. Mal?" He opened the floor to her as he took a seat next to Jay.

Mal took the moment. "Thank you," she said. "Okay, guys," she went on. "I know this is all a bit overwhelming for everyone. But we've been through worse, haven't we? We saved Auradon from my mother, we convinced Uma to help us. We can stop Morgana too. We just have to be smart and think this through. Evie? Any ideas?"

The bluenette looked up in surprise. " _Me_?"

Mal nodded and stepped back, gesturing for her to come up. Evie hesitated for a moment. "Erm...well...this isn't really my...kind of thing...but...what if we could somehow find where Morgana is planning to strike? Maybe we could then attack from...two fronts?" She glanced back at Mal for help.

The violette nodded in agreement. 

"All right, so how are we going to find Morgana?" Doug questioned quietly. 

Mal shrugged, already skimming her spell book once more. "It says the chosen one will have the ability to sense danger," she read. "So that should make it easy enough. Evie can do that, right Evie? You can use your magic to find Morgana, can't you?"

Evie frowned. "Chosen _what_ now? I'm confused. Would someone please explain what Mal's talking about? No, I can't use my powers like that. Mal, what's this all about?"

Mal hesitated. The others looked at her expectantly. _You have to tell her_ , their frowns said. _Tell her or one of us will. And it won't be any easier coming from us. S_ he took a deep breath. "Here," she said, standing up from the window sill and handing the spell book to Evie who stared at her in surprise. "I think you'd better read this."

Evie took it from her, frowning, obviously confused. She read it, and, as she did, Doug inched closer to rest a hand on her shoulder. Evie tensed noticeably as she reached the part about the prophecy. There was silence for a moment. And then she looked up at them with a blank expression. "It's not me."

Mal blinked. Not her? But it had to be her! The prophecy...her parents...everything fit! "But...Evie..."

She fixed her with a steely glare that instantly sent chills running up and down Mal's spine. " _Mal_. It's. _Not_. Me."

Mal didn't know what to say. Ben seemed to sense this and stepped in. "But, if it isn't you," he tried to reason. "Then who else could it be? All of us here know who our parents are. We're heroes and we're villains. But none of the rest of us are mixed. Evie..." He sat down on her other side. "It _has_ to be you."

Evie shook her head. "No! I've seen this legend before. I did a report on it for Remedial Goodness. Ben, I'm _telling_ _you_...I'm not the one you're looking for." With that, she handed Mal her book back and settled into the corner, eyeing the knitting needles lying temptingly beside Doug. He seemed to notice this and cautiously slid them away, possibly fearing someone nearby (namely him) would get stabbed. 

"Okay," Carlos frowned deeply. "So...if Evie's not the chosen one...then how are we supposed to stop Morgana?"

Mal was already skimming back through her book for any knowledge about the sorceress. "Well, it says here that the Prime Merlinian can--"

"Ah ah _ah_!" Jay cut her off before she could continue. "Been there. Done that. Does it say anything else? We don't have the Prime Merlinian here and, with the barrier up, we can't travel to a far away land to find him either."

Mal frowned. "No," she replied. " Hold on. I'll see if there's anything about Morgana." While the others waited, she leafed through the pages. After a minute, she glanced back up. "There's not much about her," she explained. "But this might be useful. She has only three known weaknesses: The Dragon Ring--"

"Of course," Ben nodded.

"Electricity--"

"She wouldn't fall for that a second time," Jay pointed out.

"And the Dragonstone."

"Hold up," Carlos interrupted, perking up now. "What's a Dragonstone?" He glanced from Mal to Ben and back again. "Can we...can we use that?"

Mal read the page over again. "It doesn't say," she answered. "In fact, I can't find any other mention to it. I don't what it is or where we could find it."

"I do."

There was a shuffle of movement from the doorway and all eyes turned to see Celia standing there, hands on her hips. Seeing they weren't going to say anything, she groaned and rolled her eyes, stalking into to the room and plopping down between Evie and Doug, forcing them to move apart to make room. "Dad told me about it all the time, hoping he'd get a glimpse of it one day, no doubt. The Dragonstone is a weapon of immense power. Part of it lies in Maleficent's staff."

She fanned out her deck of cards and offered them to Evie who politely declined with a shake of her head, having already done it once before. Celia shrugged it off and twisted towards Doug hopefully. The boy picked one cautiously and frowned. "Those stones you all are carrying?" Celia went on. "Yeah, those are also part of it." She held out her hand as Doug fished around in his pocket for some sort of payment. He finally managed to find a couple of dollars and handed them to her. "For now, keep the card," she told him unexpectedly. "I think you might need it. Anyway," she turned back to the others. "It's just a rumor, but, if you can get all the pieces of the stone together, it should somehow...fuse...and form the Dragonstone." She stood up and started to head back to her room. 

" _Oh_!" She paused and spun back on her heels. "I should _probably_ mention this. An AK can't use it once it's formed. You get it, right? So, no getting greedy," she warned, pointing at Ben and Doug. "Let Mal and the others handle the dangerous and powerful magical object, all right?"

The two AKs promised and Celia headed off.

Mal watched her friends' reactions. Jay and Carlos sat against the wall, frowning. Ben seemed pensive. Evie was currently leaning over Doug's shoulder, trying to read his card, while Doug paled tremendously. "What does it say?" Mal heard Evie whisper. "Can you read it?"

"I read about these symbols in a book once," Doug hissed, eyes wide. "It says danger, darkness, and secrets..." He looked like he wanted to say more but the terror evident in his expression seemed to petrify him and shut down his vocal cords.

"Morgana," Evie assured him. "It's because of her. Don't worry about it," she added, putting a hand on his shoulder. "When this is all over, you can go back to Celia and try again. It'll be different then. Promise." He didn't seem completely convinced and only watched quietly as Evie stood up and walked over to Mal. "Hey," she whispered. "We _really_ need to come up with a plan. The longer Morgana and my mother are in Auradon, the harder it will be to get them back out again."

Ben overheard them. "So, we know Maleficent's staff is part of this...Dragonstone...right? And we know where the scepter is. Why don't we go there, get the Dragonstone, and then worry about how to find Morgana afterwards?"

"That...sounds...logical," Carlos agreed. Both he and Jay stood up. "But...maybe we should stop...discussing it and go." His eyes darted around the room anxiously. "Before anyone realizes we're here," he added, in case it wasn't obvious.

Mal nodded in agreement. "So why don't we all head for the museum first and try to figure out this whole "Evie's-not-the-chosen-one" on the way? Yeah?" She waited for the others to agree. 

Jay nodded. "Yeah."

Ben and Doug nodded. 

Evie moved towards her sewing room. "I'll let Dizzy and the others know. I...don't...really want to leave them here, after what happened last time. But I think it'd be a lot safer for them here than out there." She disappeared around the corner, calling the kids' names. 

They all waited until she returned a few moments later. And then, silently, as if they'd done it all their life, they headed towards the door. Evie first. Doug right behind her. Jay, Carlos, and Ben hastily came after. Mal brought up the rear. 

As she passed the window sill, she noticed Celia's card, the one she'd given to Doug, lying in the fading light. Curiosity overwhelmed her. Glancing around once to make sure the others weren't watching, she hurried over and turned it face-up. 

The four pictures shone silver and blue. A toxic sign, shadows, and a locked box. It was just as Doug had said. _Danger, darkness, and secrets_. But it was the fourth symbol that caught her eye. The one that Doug hadn't mentioned. The one that had terrified him. 

The skull and crossbones. 

The symbol of _death_. 

And it was in the dwarf's future. 

So, the only question was... _who_ was going to die?


	22. Countdown

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Includes a little something I wrote myself. Hope you like it! :)

The sun had set completely over Auradon by the time the group reached the museum. All members present were fighting burning lungs and were nearing exhaustion as they hit the steps and Evie set to work on the lock on the door. Carlos glanced through the frosted glass windows beside her. The guard was gone. The building lights were on but the place was deserted. "Coast's clear," he hissed to the others. 

Evie unlocked the doors and they hurried inside. The VKs immediately headed for the Hall of Villains. Ben and Doug were a bit more hesitant. Probably because they still were not accustomed to breaking rules...such as breaking and entering. Honestly, Carlos didn't like it any more than they did. But they had a job to do. Morgana had to be stopped. Besides, they could apologize to Fairy Godmother later.

"Guys," Evie hissed, her voice echoing off of the walls as she reached the stairs and she and Mal practically raced each other up them. "Come on! This way! _Hurry_!" 

They reached the second floor and raced down the hallway. Mal reached the last room first and skidded to a halt, grabbing Evie and Jay as they raced past, and turning them to face the once threatening room. Carlos took a deep breath, eyeing the statue of his mother a bit warily. Beyond it, he knew, was the locked vault where all of the villain's talismans were kept under lock and key. Including Maleficent's scepter. The one at the school had been a prop, designed on his 3D printer in case a situation just like this had ever arisen. Now, he was glad he had agreed to Ben's suggestion. 

"Over here!" Evie called, already at the door, yanking it open and hurrying inside. The others followed. Ben stayed outside to keep watch. Carlos ducked into the room and was almost immediately hit by a blast of cold air. He shivered and inched closer to Mal who was already approaching the stand and her mother's scepter. 

"Dragonfires," she ordered, holding out her hand. 

They handed the jewels to her and she slowly advanced towards the scepter, pausing only once when the emerald inside began to glow, crackle, and hiss. "Okay," she told herself calmly. "You can do this, Mal. Just a simple fusing spell, right? You've totally got this." And then to the others, "You might want to stand back. I don't know what this might do exactly."

Carlos obeyed, grabbing Jay by the arm and putting his hand on Evie's shoulder, pulling them both away from Mal and the scepter. Doug did not need any encouragement as he nearly outpaced Carlos and headed for the door. At the last minute, the white-haired boy noticed where his friend was going and let go of the others to catch him. "No, no, _no_ ," he sighed, grabbing the dwarf and steering him back into the room. "You're as much a part of this as the rest of us. You have to stay here. Ben!" he added, sticking his head out the door. "How does it look out there?"

"All clear so far!" Ben shouted back, giving him a thumbs up from around the bend.

Carlos nodded, and, giving Doug a firm look of _stay,_ he headed back to stand between Evie and Jay, folding his arms and leaning back against the wall, watching Mal who approached the pedestal slowly, stetting the stones next to the scepter and closing her eyes, preparing for the spell. _I don't know what Mal is planning...or how the Dragonfires are going to work together. But I have no doubt she can pull it off somehow._

Evie, who was not clutching Mal's spell book, watched her friend nervously and frowned deeply. Carlos could almost feel the powerful bursts of magic emitting from her. He still found it hard to believe that she wasn't the chosen one for the prophecy. And Ben was right. Who else could it be? Not one of them, certainly. They all knew who they were. Their pasts were secrets to no one.

"Do you think this will work?" Evie whispered nervously to him.

He nodded, not looking away from Mal. "Of course it will." 

"Yeah, man, but what if it doesn't?" Jay whispered.

Carlos turned towards him, blinking. He never thought he'd see the day when _Jay_ was questioning a plan. "It _will_ work," he insisted, turning back towards Mal worriedly. "It _has_ to." 

Mal, meanwhile, was busy doing something or another near the pedestal. She took a deep breath and laid her hands on the scepter. A moment passed and then a wall of green fire erupted around her.

Carlos cried out as the sudden heat was enough to force him backwards. He shielded his face with his arm, feeling Evie and Jay to the same. They all moved back next to Doug who stood there, wide-eyed, watching the entire scene in shock. 

"Is that...is that normal for her?" 

The VKs nodded. Carlos nodded, clapping him reassuringly on the back. "Very," he responded. "Don't worry. This is normal. Let's get back and let Mal do her thing. Come on, come on." He led the others back to join Ben. 

"How's she doing?" the king inquired as they hurried out of the room and Jay took a watchful position near the hall. 

"Mal?" Carlos glanced briefly back towards the room while Evie drug Doug away from the door. "Oh...you know...the usual. Casting some weird spell to save the world. You know how she is. Probably will be done any minute now." Then, he got an idea. "Say, Ben, Mal mentioned seeing the symbol for the Lost on some kind of scroll or parchment. In the heroes wing perhaps?"

Ben nodded. "Yeah. She mentioned that. Sounds like it was on one of the scrolls recovered from Captain Hook's ship. We talked about it once in history. Dad found several on board before he sunk the Jolly Rodger."

"Do you...do you think you could show me?" 

"Yes. Of course. Mal--"

"Mal will be fine," Jay spoke up. "You two go and see what you can find out. The rest of us will wait for Mal and then catch up with you." 

"I can come too," Doug offered, much to Carlos' and Evie's surprise. Then, seeing their startled expressions, he added. "I...might be able to help." 

That was true, Carlos knew. He was good at the tech side of things but Doug was better when it came to raw facts. And Evie and Jay were more than capable of waiting for Mal. "All right," he agreed and Doug hurried over to join them. "Let's go." He turned and sprinted out the door. Ben and Doug followed quickly. 

They hurried down the hallway, their footsteps the only sound in the deserted building. Carlos shuddered at the bleak darkness and slowed, allowing Ben to take the lead. They descended the stairs again and sprinted to the back of the building. Carlos ignored the statues all around him, nearly tripping over the ones of Pongo and Perdita as he chased after Ben. 

They reached the pirate wing a few seconds later and Ben pointed out the scroll. 

"That's it?" Carlos questioned, moving closer to read the fading ink. He squinted. "Anybody got a flashlight?"

"Here," Doug stepped up beside him and handed it over the boy's shoulder. When the others looked at him in surprise, he just shrugged. " _What_? I'm a Boy Scout. I came prepared." 

Carlos smirked as he flicked the flashlight on and began to read the inscription aloud. "Long, long, ago--" he began.

"In a galaxy far far away?" Ben interrupted with a grin.

Doug groaned good-humoredly and rolled his eyes. 

Carlos look at him and cracked a smile. "Thank you, Obi-Wan, but, no." He continued reading. "Before the time of villains, before there were two worlds, there were two magicians--"

"Merlin and Morgana," Doug interjected, folding his arms and gaining a knowing expression. 

"Yes," Carlos coughed before he went on. "But the greater of these two was Merlin of Camelot, the sorcerer who protected the kingdom and enchanted the sword into the stone."

"That Arthur later removed," Ben added.

Carlos sighed. "Are you guys actually going to let me read or are you going to keep interrupting?"

"Right, sorry," Ben apologized. "Continue." 

Carlos resumed once more. "Morgana sought this power for herself. But seeing how she could never accomplish this with the same powers and talents as Merlin, she turned to the dark arts as her source of power. With this newfound magic, she challenged Merlin but was defeated by two of his three apprentices. Later, she returned, only to be defeated by the fated Prime Merlinian. While King Beast exiled all of the villains to the Isle of the Lost, Morgana was never found. No one knows how this is possible or where she might be now. But legends say that one day, when the fate of both heroes and villains hangs in the balance, a child will be born, blessed with the power, far beyond that of the Prime Merlinian, to defeat Morgana and end the war between good and evil once and for all..." Carlos trailed off here and turned back towards his friends. "That's all it says." 

"I think that time has come," Ben mumbled. "And there's the symbol Mal was talking about." He pointed to the corner of the paper. The star looked a bit like it had been burnt into the paper. In each of its points was some kind of strange symbol. Carlos couldn't read it, but he didn't like the look of it one bit. 

"But there's nothing that tells us how to find that child?" Doug questioned, moving closer to read around Carlos with a scowl. 

Carlos shrugged. "No. I guess...I guess we'll just have to hope the Dragonstone can stop her."

"That's not a plan," Doug pointed out.

"But that's all we've got right now."

"Guys?" Ben, who had moved towards the window, now spoke up. They both turned to face him. "Do either of you get the feeling that there...eyes...watching us?"

Carlos frowned as Doug nervously scanned the ceiling as though expecting shadows to peel from the nooks and crannies. "No--"

Loud running footsteps interrupted their concerns and they turned to see Mal, Evie, and Jay rush into the room. Mal was clutching something shining in her hand. She was smiling. She'd been successful. And the light...

"Is that it?" he questioned.

Mal nodded.

Evie gestured them over. "Guys! We're done! Come on, let's go!" With that, she and Mal turned and took off running down the corridor again. 

After sharing a weary glance, the boys followed.

They rushed back through the labyrinth of halls, twists, and turns, and darted past the main hall. Evie and Ben reached the doors first and simultaneously flung them open with incredible force. Evie jumped down the stairs three at a time. Ben ushered the others past him, ducking and laughing as Jay whooped before back flipping from the stairs. They'd done the impossible. They'd gotten the Dragonstone. 

"Now that that's done," Ben spoke up. "Let's go find Morgana and get her out of Auradon." Mal chuckled as he swung an arm around her and grinned. Jay and Carlos high fived while Doug and Evie shared a small smile, relishing in their small moment of victory.

"Well, well, that was _so_ much easier than I imagined."

The six friends twirled around at once to find an army of shadows waiting for them. 

"Uh-oh," Carlos muttered.

"Oh..." Evie's smile faded. 

Mal's eyes flashed green. Already, she had reacted. And, as a peppy beat began in the air, she had already signaled for the others to spread out and prepare for battle. She held out her hand and a shimmering silver sword appeared in her grasp, as well as the hands of her friends. 

The shadows suddenly surrounded them. Evie and Jay braced themselves on the left. Ben, Carlos, and Doug on the right. Mal scowled as she raised her blade threateningly. A cruel laugh flooded the heavens, no doubt belonging to Queenie, and the creatures took a step in sync towards them. 

Mal pushed her friends behind her and gestured for them to get ready to fight.

**Mal:**

**Countdown, bring it on.**

**We defend Auradon.**

**Swords up, here we go!**

**No time left to take it slow.**

The shadows advanced. The teens glanced at each other...and then lunged forward. A struggle erupted instantly. Jay and Evie dove left, swords flashing. Jay disarmed one shadow and Evie thrust her sword through it, causing it to explode into a cloud of vapor. Meanwhile, Ben and Carlos began hacking and slashing as many creatures as they could. Mal's eyes continued to flash green even as she jabbed and parried, matching the shadow's attacks blow for blow. At the moment, it was clear that they had the upper hand. 

It did not take long for the tide of the battle to turn against them, however.

As quickly as the shadows were destroyed, more spawned in. They suddenly realized that, instead of six shadows a piece, they now had to deal with _sixty_. They continued to fight, holding back the swarm the best they could.

Doug shakily lifted his sword and prepared to face down a shadow of his own. The creature lunged at him. Their swords met. Doug was quickly overpowered and his sword was sent flying from his hands. He was pushed backwards and he tumbled onto the dirt.

Evie, noticing this, hastily helped Jay finish off another shadow and then sprinted towards Doug, vaulting over a fallen tree and landing next to her boyfriend defensively as the shadows continued to press in. She helped him up and the two stood back to back. 

** Evie: **

**Feint to the left, jab to the right, keep up the attack.**

**Watch out, don't worry, yeah, I've got your back.**

The two continue to fend off the army, Doug learning from Evie who, wielding her sword gracefully, knocked back an entire group of shadows. Two approached from behind and Evie spun, noticing this. She grabbed Doug and yanked him off to the side and ran her blade through the shadows in one swift movement. 

Meanwhile, Carlos and Jay were busy with their own problems. They battled on, using the trees and rocks as cover as they dodged and parries the enemy's blocks. Jay even went so far as to run up a tree and use it to propel himself over the onslaught of shadows and come out behind them. Carlos shielded himself with his sword as three blades came down on him at once. The crash of metal upon metal echoed in the hills. Carlos reacted quickly, thrusting his sword up, throwing off his attackers. He then proceeded to run them through. 

** Carlos and Jay: **

**The odds are stacking up against us.**

**So keep it up.**

**Turn the enemy back into dust.**

**'Cause when the countdown falls...**

** All: **

**We will come out on top!**

The VKs congested back together and began to circle as the shadows fall into a straight line to fight while Ben and Doug come together and fight back to back. The army is starting to dwindle down now as the group discovered their rhythm. 

** Evie, Jay, Carlos, and Mal: **

**Countdown, bring it on.**

**We defend Auradon.**

**Swords up, here we go!**

**No time left to take it slow.**

Mal made her way to the front of the group, facing down the oncoming hoard. She grimaced at the sight of the monsters and held her sword at the ready.

** Mal: **

**Hit 'em high! Hit 'em low!**

**We can match them blow for blow!**

Evie, meanwhile, continued to battle alongside Doug. Her body began to glow orange and she took a shadow out with a spinning back-kick. One creature knocked Doug back into her and she hastily shoved him back up before shooting up her sword to block a strike.

** Evie: **

**We're in the fight of our lives.**

**We can't back down...**

**So here we go!**

Ben and Carlos took out two front lines of shadows. Kilowatts of energy shot from Evie and Mal as they raced to join the others. Hurrying over, Doug and Carlos were almost immediately encompassed by the tightening circle of creatures. 

** Carlos: **

**They may be big. They may be strong.**

**But right prevails o'er all that's wrong.**

He lifted his sword to block an attack and it was knocked from his hands. He turned to look at it in a panic, eyes widening. 

"CARLOS!" Mal shouted, tossing the glowing stone over the others' heads. Carlos caught it and immediately slammed it against the earth. The grass crackled with electricity and all the shadows around him exploded. 

** Jay: **

**And there's no disguising, no,**

**All that's left, ready, here we go!**

Carlos, spotting Jay who was beginning to tire, called his name and chucked him the Dragonstone. A great wall of fire erupted around Jay and took out several more shadows.

** Mal and Evie: **

**Tick, tock, that all you got?**

**Guess we're gonna give a shot.**

**One, two, three, four...**

They slashed and mowed down an entire row, leaving Ben and Doug behind. 

**You should get prepared for more.**

** Everyone: **

**Countdown, bring it on!**

**We defend Auradon.**

**Swords up, here we go!**

**No time now to take it slow.**

**GOTTA MATCH 'EM BLOW FOR BLOW!**

The remaining shadows gathered together and began one massive frontal attack. Mal led her friends. On either side of her were Evie and Carlos and, behind them, were Jay, Ben, and Doug. 

** Mal: **

**Raise your sword and your shield.**

**'Cause now the end is drawing near...**

** Evie: **

**We're gonna hold the line.**

**We're in the fight of our lives.**

**And this war will end tonight!**

** Everyone: **

**Countdown, bring it on.**

**We'll defend Auradon.**

**Swords up, here we go!**

**No time left to take it slow!**

Mal held out her hands and Jay tossed the Dragonstone back to her. 

** Mal: **

**Hit 'em high! Hit 'em low!**

**We go** t **ta match them blow for blow.**

**'Cause when it all ends...**

** Jay, Carlos, and Evie: **

**Yeah, we know, right always wins!**

Ben and Doug worked together to defeat another hoard and then hurried to join the VKs. The six of them stood together, ready to finish the fight.

** Ben and Doug: **

**Swords up, here we go.**

**We can match 'em blow for blow.**

**Countdown, bring it on.**

**'Cause we defend Auradon.**

They all looked towards Mal, who was holding the Dragonstone once more. Her eyes began to glow green as she fixed her petrifying stare on the army. 

** Mal: **

**Raise your sword and your shield.**

**Now the end is drawing near.**

**And we'll defend Auradon.**

**'Till the coming of the dawn.**

** Everyone: **

**Countdown, _bring it on!_**

Mal lifted the stone high into the air and shouted something over the wind. The stone began to shine with a radiant light. Carlos shielded his eyes and felt Jay and Evie doing the same. There was a rumble of thunder, a flash of white light, and the army exploded into black dust. 

When Carlos opened his eyes, the shadows were gone, and Mal was standing, staring absentmindedly towards the hills. She seemed to sense something. Carlos had a feeling that it was Maleficent. _She's nearby_ , he guessed, feeling a cold shudder rush through him at the thought. 

"Mal?" Ben questioned, stepping forward and lowering his sword. "What is it?"

"My mother," Mal whispered, not turning to acknowledge him. "I can feel her."

"Maleficent?" Evie questioned, coming to join her. "Where is she, Mal? Can you find her? Is Morgana and Mom there too?"

Mal shook her head. "I don't know that part," she confessed. "But I know where we need to go next."

"Where?" Doug asked.

Mal turned to face them with a grim expression on her face. "Belle and Beast's Castle."


	23. Civil War

"This is it," Mal breathed. She flattened herself against the cold brick wall, watching as the others did the same beside her. "And we're sure your parents aren't home?" she questioned, her gaze drifting towards Ben who brought up the rear. 

He nodded, uncomfortably adjusting his crown for probably the tenth time in the past five minutes. "They're on a trip around Auradon," he explained again. "It's...something they've always wanted to do. They were just...waiting on me to become king, I guess. This place...should be deserted."

"Only we know it isn't," Evie pointed out from beside him.

Ben nodded again and his eyes drifted towards the upper half of the castle where occasional flickering lights could be seen. It didn't take a genius to guess who had to be there, maybe even waiting for them. "So what's the plan?" he asked, fixing his attention on Mal who was busy sizing up the structure. "I mean, you _do_ have a plan don't you?"

"Sure she does," Jay interrupted as Mal opened her mouth to speak. "Break in. Kick some villain behind. Save Auradon. Easy peasy." Mal narrowed her eyes at him and shook her head. He shrugged innocently. 

"Um...I don't know about the rest of you," Carlos piped up. "But...I'd feel a lot better if we had an _actual_ plan. No offense, Jay." He too was watching the looming building with a bit of concern. 

"Okay, look. We all know who's in there. We all know what they are capable of," Mal sighed, pushing her bangs out of her eyes as her mind kicked into high gear. "So we need to be methodical about this. In order to take back Auradon, all four villains must be stopped. And out of all of them, who is the least dangerous?" Her eyes drifted toward Evie who sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Probably my mother," she confessed. "But that doesn't mean she'll be defenseless," she added hastily before any of them could get any ideas. "If I know her, she'll have as many tricks up her sleeves as Morgana and Maleficent combined. Let me handle her. I know her. I know how she thinks. I might be able to get her to return to the Isle peacefully, or, if I'm lucky, help us instead of Morgana."

"You really think you can convince her of that?" Ben asked.

She twisted around. "She's my mother. I have to try."

Mal nodded, recognizing the fire in the girl's eyes. "All right," she agreed. "You stop Evil Queen. Carlos will go with you." The white-haired boy's head shot up at this. He opened his mouth to protest but faltered and just stared. "You can do it," Mal reassured him. "You and Evie made a great team back on the Isle when you made that dome-breaker, remember?"

"I'm sorry, the _what_?" Ben blinked.

"Nothing! Nothing!" Evie answered quickly, waving her hands frantically and shooting Mal a dirty look. "It was nothing! Really!" 

"All right," Mal went on, ignoring this. "So, Evie and Carlos will stop Evil Queen while the rest of us--"

"I want to go too."

Mal stopped, stunned. Her attention, as well as all the others', swung towards Doug who was trying his best to conceal himself in the shadows. He held her gaze evenly. There was a spark in his eyes, one that Mal had not seen since he'd first met Evie. This was no longer the scared pint-sized boy she'd met three years ago. This was a boy undeniably in love with Evie. He would do anything for her, including facing her mother.. _He wants to prove himself_. But it was far too dangerous. If anything were to happen to him, Evie would be furious and blame herself. And there was no time for self doubt. 

"No."

Evie's jaw dropped as Doug fell back, looking hurt. "Mal!" Evie protested. "You can't just--" 

"I said _no_ , Evie," Mal repeated firmly. "This is no place for a...a... _dwarf._ " She stared down coldly at Doug. _I'm sorry,_ she told them both internally. _But this is for your own good_. "Go home," she told him. "There's nothing more for you to do here."

"MAL!" Evie yelled, causing everyone to jump. 

Mal cautiously turned toward Evie, wary of the orange light that was already building around her. "Evie...just...hear me out..."

" _No_ ," Evie growled. "NO! Mal, for this entire trip, you have haggled, belittled, and ridiculed Doug! But don't you get it? He's one of _us_ now! The Dragonfire _chose_ him! Not Uma! Not Harry! _Him_!"

" _But Dragonfires don't pick heroes_ ," Mal snarled. "I thought you'd know that already, Missus _I-Know-Everything_. They never have! _Villains_! They pick villains!"

"Then why was Ben picked?" Evie was nearly in tears now as she pointed back to the king. "Huh? Why can Ben be chosen but Doug can't?"

"That's not the point--"

"Yes," Evie spat coldly. "Yes, I think it is. Ben was chosen because the stones can't distinguish between a hero and a curse! Audrey's spell may make Ben eligible...so why not Doug as well?"

"Ok... _ay_..." Ben tried to step between them and soothe their tempers. "Look...I know everybody is stressed out but--"

"No, Ben, let her speak," Mal interrupted him, never stopping her staring competition with Evie. "E, I don't know what's twisted your ponytail but...You. Need. To. _Let_. _It_. _Go_. There are bigger things at stake right now. So...pick up the broken pieces, go with Carlos...and focus on the task at hand."

"No...but..."

"We can talk about it later," Mal insisted. She was starting to get worried. If they kept up this yelling fest, someone was bound to hear and come running. " _Go_. Just... _go_..." She turned away and started marching towards the front doors.

Evie stood there, jaw still dropped. Carlos stood uncomfortably beside her on one side and Doug on the other. Mal heard Evie sigh and turn to go the opposite direction toward the side door. "Doug...I'm sorry," the bluenette whispered. "Carlos, come on."

Mal felt guilty. But it was what was best for both of them. "Come on," she told the others. "Let's go, guys." Jay and Ben followed her as she headed for the front entrance. "Ben," she added. "Is there another way in?"

"There's a window on the third floor. Why?"

"Because we definitely aren't going through the front door."

***

_How dare she?_

_How could she?_

Why _would she?_

A million thoughts were rushing through her brain as she crept alongside the building. She sniffed and wiped away her tears before they could smudge her mascara. _Stay strong. Don't let them see. Don't cry._

"Evie!"

 _Why would Mal do this? Does she not know what Doug has done? He was chosen just like we were! Why doesn't she_ see _that?_

"Evie! Wait up!"

The tears came harder and faster. Evie gulped them back as she rounded the corner and found herself facing a huge brick wall. Beyond it, she knew, was the courtyard, and that was their way in. Let Mal and the others go through the front door and get themselves caught. She'd be smarter. 

"Evie! Come on, will you? Could you just--EVIE! STOP!"

She finally hit the brakes and spun on her heel, only to find herself nearly barreled to the ground by Doug who had been in hot pursuit. Carlos caught up a second later. Both were winded and carried shocked expressions on their faces. 

"Evie..." Doug began softly, trying to hug her. She moved away from him and folded her arms. He frowned. "Evie, what is it?"

"You should go, Doug," Evie whispered, hearing her heart break at her own words. "Mal's right. It's not safe for you here. My mom, Queenie, Maleficent, Morgana...I can't keep putting your life in danger. And after that fight back there--"

"Hey, hey, hey," Doug cut her off. He tried to smile but she looked away, tears pricking her eyes once more. "I'm not leaving you. I don't care _how many_ villains are up there. E..." She stared at him and he held her gaze. She looked deep into his bright green eyes. She could see it. The thing that neither of them had ever been able to say. "I...I won't go." 

Evie sighed and rolled her eyes dramatically. "Doug..."

"No," he cut her off. He stepped forward and took her hands in his. "Evie, we're in this together. I know I've never been there before...with Maleficent...or with Uma, but...I want to help. And Auradon is in danger. I can't just sit by and let that happen can I? Can I? Evie?" He waited hopefully. 

Evie hesitated for a moment. _What would Mal think? She told him to go._ And then, from a different part of her brain, came a small voice: _But Mal isn't here right now. At this moment, I'm in charge. And I get to decide what my friends do._

"All right," she told him slowly. "You can come."

A big dopey smile spread across his face _._

Carlos smiled and crossed his arms. "Nice job, dude." he told Doug. And, then, to Evie. "Now, I have an important question...how are we going to get in? I'm guessing you're planning to go over the wall right?" Evie nodded, frowning. Carlos moved towards it, looking pensive. "It's too high to climb," he announced. "Even Jay wouldn't be able to get over it. Do we have some kind of rope...or...something...to climb over with?"

Evie shook her head. Both of them turned towards Doug who looked at them blankly. He raised his hands to show them he had nothing. "Sorry."

"Don't worry about it," Evie told him. "Do you boys think you could lift me up and I could climb over and pull you up?"

The boys glanced at one another, unsure. Neither of them were very strong. They knew that and Evie knew that. But, maybe if they worked together...

"All right," Carlos decided. "Let's give it a try. Doug, you're probably the strongest of the two of us. You take the bottom and I'll get on your shoulders. Evie, you get on me."

Evie nodded, exhaling slowly. "Let's do it."

They moved into formation. Doug went to the wall and scanned it up and down. Then, without warning, Carlos propelled himself up onto the dwarf's back, causing the latter to yelp in surprise and teeter slightly, struggling to regain his balance.

"Evie!" Carlos called, ignoring Doug's protestant gasps as he leaned against the wall, struggling to hold them both upright. "You're up!" 

Evie nodded, hurrying over and climbing up their backs. Doug groaned and Carlos winced but both stayed as still as possible until Evie reached Carlos' shoulders and could pull herself over onto the wall. "Made it!" she called.

"Great!" Carlos shouted.

"Uh-oh," Doug grunted.

Carlos frowned. "Uh-oh? What do you mean ' _uh-oh'_?"

Evie hurried back to the edge of the wall just in time to see the two boys topple backwards onto the dirt. She sighed. 

"Owww _,_ _dude_ ," Carlos groaned as he rolled back to his feet. "You really couldn't have held on for _five more seconds_ until I could climb up?" He was busy brushing the dirt off of the white patches of his jacket.

Doug just lay there, eyes closed, and groaned. Evie couldn't help but snicker at him. His glasses were crooked and he looked exhausted. "Well...at least Evie's up..." he tried to reason.

"Yeah. And now we need to join her. Come on. On your feet." He pulled Doug up. "Let's give this one more try. E, you ready?" The blunette gave him a thumbs up. "Come on." Carlos steered Doug back to the wall and the dwarf braced himself once more as Carlos clambered onto his back.

Evie leaned over the edge to grab Carlos. She couldn't quite reach. "Just a little more," she groaned, flattening herself against the rock, trying to gain a couple more inches. "Carlos, reach out. Doug, hold on just a little bit longer." 

Carlos obeyed and Doug gave a weak nod. 

Evie was nearly suspended in midair by this point. She swung her arm and her fingers brushed Carlos'. "Come on," she groaned. She went for another pass...and successfully grabbed him. " _Yes_! Hold on!" she told him as she began to pull. "Doug, help me out here!" She took a deep breath and kept tugging. "Carlos! Put your feet against the wall! Use it to...yes! Just like that!" There was a moment of struggling and then Carlos' poofy hair appeared over the edge of the railing and Evie fell back with a sigh of relief. 

"Wow," Carlos gasped as he leaned against the railing. "That was _not_ awesome."

"Yeah, I agree with you. But what about Doug?"

Both glanced over the wall, finding Doug staring back up at them. He gave them a small wave. Carlos sighed and rolled his eyes. "Okay...now what?"

Evie didn't speak. She just gestured toward the wall and both dropped down against the cold bricks. "Okay, Doug!" she called down. "You're going to have to jump!"

He frowned. "Jump?"

"Don't worry!" she assured him. "We'll catch you."

Carlos glanced over at her. "We will?"

She hit him in the shoulder.

"Ow," he winced. "I was joking! I was joking!"

Evie rolled her eyes and went back to Doug who didn't look half-convinced that this was good idea. And Evie had to agree. She wasn't sure of it herself. But, at the moment, it was all they had. They had to give it a try.

"Dude, just jump already!" Carlos shouted.

" _Carlos_! Stop pressuring him!"

"Sorry."

Doug gulped and threw himself at the wall. Both Carlos and Evie lunged for him. Both missed and the dwarf hit the ground. Evie groaned. Carlos face palmed. Doug tried again. This time, Carlos caught him and yelled as he was nearly drug off of the wall himself. Evie grabbed a hold of Carlos and braced herself as they both started to slip. "Hold on," she grunted, taking a step backwards. And then another. Slowly, but surely, she pulled them up. 

All three collapsed against the wall, panting.

"See?" Evie wheezed. "Totally caught you."

Doug laughed weakly as the three of them stood up and prepared to enter the castle.

Evie could only wonder what kind of traps would be waiting for them inside.

***

"Left! Left! No! Your other left! JAY! The OTHER way! BEN! WHAT are you DOING?"

Mal had reached the end of her patience with the boys...and they hadn't even gotten through the castle's defenses. At the moment, they were staring at the roaring moat and raised drawbridge. All the other times Mal had been to the castle, it had been lowered and welcoming. Now, in the fading light, the once sparkling castle seemed dark and unwelcoming. 

"The defenses are up," Ben answered calmly from his position halfway down to the moat. "I figured we could just swim across the...oh..."

Mal raised her eyebrows pointedly. " _Oh_ ," she repeated mockingly. "'Oh' what? 'Oh', I just thought of something useful or 'Oh!' I _forgot_. My fiance can't swim!"

"Well...then...I'll just have to carry you, I guess." He worked his way back up the hill and lifted her onto his shoulders. She screamed, laughing as he lifted her onto his shoulders. Jay just smirked as he followed. He wasn't able to swim either, but he was tall enough that he probably wouldn't have to worry about it.

Mal shrieked as Ben plunged into the water with a beastly roar and she covered her eyes as water flew everywhere. The ride was a short one, and, before Mal knew it, she was back on dry land. Ben stood beside her, attempting to shake the water out of his clothes and hair. Jay appeared a moment later, his pants and the bottom part of his shirt wet. He seemed mildly amused, however.

"Oh, what?" Mal snapped at him.

He shrugged innocently.

Mal growled and followed the boys as they headed for the front doors. She knelt down next to Ben while Jay tested the lock. "It's open," he announced in a whisper a moment later. He glanced back at Mal with a grin. "Ladies first."

Mal rolled her eyes and stalked off into the building. Ben and Jay followed quickly. The halls were dark and deserted. Mal felt a shiver dance up and down her spine as they advanced down the corridor. Their footsteps were the sole sound in the echoing structure. _If the villains are here, where are they hiding?_

"Mal?" Jay whispered. "I don't like the look of this."

"It's too...quiet," Ben agreed.

Mal nodded. Right at that moment, she wished Evie were there to make some kind of awkward joke or offer them some kind of weird gum that they all suspected she'd made in science class. She felt guilt knaw at her. What were the others doing right now? Did Doug leave? Had Carlos and Evie found a way in yet? Somehow, she suspected the answer to the first was no and the second was yes. 

"Stay alert," she told them as they moved away from the hall into the living room. It was three times the size of Mal's dorm, filled with large plush couches and a huge brick fireplace. She remembered her first Christmas there, when Ben had accidentally dumped hot-chocolate all over himself. She didn't remember having ever laughed as hard as she did then. _We have to stop_ _this madness._ _For Auradon._ She glanced toward Ben. _For_ us.

"Where do you suppose everyone is?" Jay asked.

Mal shrugged. "I don't know. Upstairs?"

"I'll go check it out," Ben offered, immediately heading towards the stairs.

" _No_!" Mal cried. "Wait!"

He paused.

"I really think we should all stay together," Mal explained. Ben nodded and hurried back over. 

"Sounds good, but, where's Jay?"

" _Jay_?" Mal turned abruptly. "JAY?" There was no sign of the boy. 

"Jay?" Ben scanned the room worriedly. "Jay, man, you there?"

"Uh..." Jay's voice. Weak. Coming from the second floor. Both looked up. Mal felt her heart stop. "Yeah...I think we found the villains."

Queenie stood there, sword pointed at Jay's chest, a triumphant grin on her face. "Well, well, well, hello son of Jafar and daughter of Maleficent. How nice of you to drop in. Beast," she added with a fake nod to Ben. "What a pleasant surprise. And where might your friends be? Hmmm? Evie, Carlos, and that dwarf. I was hoping to talk to you all at once. But, I suppose, my associates will be finding them soon enough. Now...why don't you hand over that Dragonstone before I have to run one of you through? Believe me, I don't want to. Too messy." 

She wrinkled her nose and flicked her blade. Suddenly, two shadows spawned in and shoved Ben and Mal up the stairs to join Jay and Queenie. "Now..." the Princess of Hearts tapped her blade tauntingly. "I wonder which one of you had the Dragonstone. Not you," she said quickly, talking about Ben. "You're a hero. Jay?" She looked him up and down. "No. Too easy. Mal?" She stepped closer to the purplette and the two girls glared at one another. A minute passed and Queenie stepped away with a wicked smirk. "No. You disappoint me, Mal," she sighed, stepping back and snapping her fingers, ordering the shadows to restrain the three of them. "I thought for sure you'd be the one with the Dragonstone. So..." she raised her sword to Ben's throat, never taking her eyes off of Mal. "Which one of your pathetic little friends has it? And don't lie to me, or Beast here gets it." 

A moment of panic flashed through Mal. She had the Dragonstone! She hadn't given it to anyone! It was right in her pocket! Her fingers reached down into her jeans and met thin air. She gasped and the others twisted to glance at her in surprise. But she didn't know how to tell them the truth and could only stare back at them with an equal level of shock. 

The Dragonstone was _gone_. 


	24. When Worlds Collide

The courtyard was dark as Evie jumped down among a cluster of rosebushes. She did her best to maneuver around the thorns and brambles, but not before her hands and wrists were successfully scraped to shreds. She bit her lip and turned as she emerged, peering up through the shadows to find Carlos and Doug waiting attentively for her signal. She waved them down and they hastily obeyed. As they joined her, she turned and began sizing up the castle--and, more importantly, the moat surrounding it.

"So how do we get past that?" Carlos questioned.

Evie frowned. _Why have a wall if you're just going to have a moat? What are they trying to keep in?_ "Er...Doug? Ben wouldn't happen to have... _crocodiles_...in his moat, would he?"

Doug looked at her strangely. "Crocodiles? Who in Auradon would put crocodiles in a moat?"

Evie opened her mouth to reply but then stopped herself. "You know what? Never mind." She waved it off. _Must be an Isle thing_. Then, to Carlos, "Can we swim it?"

The boy looked a bit doubtful. "I doubt it. I mean, I can doggy-paddle. But you can't swim at all. And I don't think either of us could carry you across."

Evie chuckled darkly. "Where's Jay when you need him?"

"Well," Doug coughed uncomfortably. "We may not be able to swim, but there's got to be another way across, right?"

"Yeah, but what?" Carlos scanned the riverbed.

"Let's spread out," Evie suggested. "See what you can find and meet back here, okay?" The boys nodded and the three of them headed off in different directions. Evie went right, towards the flowers and continuing wall. She was painfully aware of how fast the sun was sinking behind the horizon. The light wouldn't last too much longer. She couldn't help but wonder how Mal's group would handle the darkness. Had they found a way inside? Had Mal used the Dragonstone to destroy Morgana? What about the other villains?

She reached the end of the courtyard and turned once more towards the shadowed clearing. She squinted, picking out Carlos near the water. He seemed to be looking for stepping stones. She couldn't spot Doug right away but she guessed he was around somewhere.

" _Pssst_. _Evie_." A voice hissed behind her. "E, is that you?"

Evie recognized the voice immediately. She whipped around towards the darkness and narrowed her eyes. "What do you want, Mal?" she snapped.

"You're angry," Mal continued in a whisper, still not emerging from the shadows. "I understand. You have every right to be. But we can talk about all of that later. Right now, you and Carlos hae to get out of here. It's not safe. Doug--"

Evie felt the fury brimming. "Stop," she growled. "Just... _stop_. I don't want to hear it. Mal, what has you _so against_ him? Did I ever say anything about you and Ben? Did I? _No!_ I stood there! I _supported_ you! I love Doug! Why can't you just accept that!"

"Evie, just _listen_. It's not about that. Doug isn't who you think--"

"Stop talking," Evie snarled. "You know, Mal, I thought you were my best friend. I thought you'd always stand up for me. But this is not the action of someone who cares. So, until you start acting like my best friend again, stay away from me." With that, she straightened back up and started running back to the others.

"Hey," Carlos waved her over. She hurried to join him. Doug appeared from the opposite direction a moment later. "Did you guys find anything?"

Evie pushed the conversation with Mal from her brain. "No. Nothing useful."

"I...I think I...might have found...something," Doug spoke up. "Over...over on the o-other side."

"Show us," Evie demanded. Doug nodded and headed off toward the left half of the yard. Evie took a deep breath and shoved her worry away, following him.

Sure enough, there was a small crosswalk that covered the moat and led to a small gazebo around the side of the building. "Nice!" Evie gasped, breezing past Doug and immediately starting up the ladder to the roof.

The boys glanced at one another and then hurried after her. Doug first and Carlos bringing up the rear. "E, what are you thinking?" Carlos hissed as he urged Doug on. "Are we going in through the skylight?"

"In the ballroom," Evie confirmed. "Yes."

"But won't they be expecting us?" Doug quizzed.

"Not likely," Evie replied. "Besides, that's why Mal's group went through the front door. To give us a bit of cover." She reached the top and pulled herself slightly onto the roof and backed away so the others could join her. She located the large glass skylight a ways back and signaled for the others to follow her.

The straddle across the roof was awkward to say the least. Carlos outpaced Evie and positioned himself to hep the others across. Doug slipped and nearly took himself _and_ Evie out when she reached out to steady him. (Evie was incredibly thankful that she'd selected her red and white "battle" outfit instead of her nice, sparkly, blue one she'd designed as her designated "adventure" uniform).

A few minutes, and fifty impatient glares, later, the three found themselves huddling around the large skylight. Carlos carefully lifted the glass and, with one last glance at the others, Evie dropped into the unknown.

She hit the ground softly and scanned the blackened room, just able to make out the faint outline of herself in the huge wall of mirrors. "Whoa," she breathed. Her voice bounced off of the structure and broke the stillness. Then, she turned back towards the skylight. "Okay, guys, come on down! Coast's clear!"

"You go first," she heard Carlos whisper to Doug. There a mumble of protest. "It'll be all right," Carlos insisted. "We've got you."

Evie waited as Doug struggled to build enough confidence to jump. She was ready to try and catch him, but, when he leaped, she missed and he hit the wood with a groan. Evie sighed and quickly shushed him, signaling Carlos to follow. Carlos swung himself down and landed in a graceful preparatory stance. "Where's the door?" he hissed.

"Over here, I think," Evie whispered, moving away from the group, towards the side of the room.

"That's a closet," Doug interjected. "The door is over here."

Evie couldn't see him, but his voice was coming from the left. "Where?"

"Here. Toward me. Oh...hang on..." There was a moment of silence, followed by a click and a bright flash of light. "There. How's that? Better?" He shone the flashlight once around the room.

The light bounced off of the mirrors and Evie blinked to clear her vision. "Oh yeah, _much_. Carlos?"

"Here." A shuffle of movement followed and Carlos appeared beside Doug. "Um...maybe Doug should lead," he suggested. "Since he's apparently the only one who knows his way around."

"Study group," Doug explained with a shrug. "Ben and Audrey. Need I say more?"

Evie giggled as she brushed by him. "Come on," she chuckled. "Doug, lead the way."

The dwarf nodded and hurried to catch up. Cautiously, he opened the door and peered down the silent hallway. "Coast's clear," he whispered, propping the door open. "This way." Keeping the light facing the carpet, he began to step lightly down the hall. Evie and Carlos flanked him.

"Okay...this place is _freaky,_ " Carlos commented.

"Carlos, _shhh_!" Evie whispered. "Doug, the main living quarters please."

Carlos looked confused. "Why there?"

Doug nodded and immediately began walking more briskly.

Evie slowed to join Carlos. "Just a hunch," she replied.

They rounded the bend and entered a room of statues and knights. It brought back some rather unpleasant memories. Evie shivered, and she sensed Carlos doing the same. "I hate it here," Carlos muttered. Evie nodded slowly in agreement.

They left quickly and turned down the right hall towards what Evie recalled to be the dining room. The living room was just beyond it. And, if her suspicions were correct, that was where they'd find the villains as well.

"So--where are we now?" Carlos inquired.

"Almost there," Doug responded.

They rounded one final bend and Evie took the lead, pulling open the final door, and was met by a cold gust of wind. The living room lay beyond. It was just as Mal had described it. _Cozy_.

"Whoa...Ben's living room is twice the size of my _whole house_!" Evie stared.

"Yeah--and _look_!" Carlos pointed to the fireplace. There, sitting on a small pedestal, was the Dragonstone.

"Um, that's...ominous," Doug mumbled. "And...where's Mal? Didn't she have it?"

"Well, forget about that," Evie answered. "Let's just get it and go find the others."

They all stepped forward.

Evie instantly realized their mistake. The floor melted around them and they sunk down to their knees. Carlos yelled out while Doug blanched and Evie groaned. "What _is_ this?" Carlos cried. He struggled, which only made him sink faster.

"Persian Quick Rug," Evie grunted through grit teeth. "I should have known! The room was too empty! It was too easy! _No_! Carlos! Stop moving! This stuff is like quicksand! The more you struggle, the faster you sink!"

"A Persian _what_?" Doug gasped. He, unlike Carlos, had stiffened the moment the floor attempted to swallow them, and his face was paler than death...which was what they were looking at if they couldn't figure a way out of this mess...and fast. Evie could already feel the floor hardening around her knees.

"I read about it once!" Evie explained, eyeing the multi-colored goop as it inched further and further up her body. She stretched her arms over her head, trying to keep them free. "It's one of Morgana's followers' favorite tricks!"

"And we walked right into it," Carlos groaned. "Quite literally."

 _Okay, think, think, think, how do you break the rug's spell? Come on, Evie! You've read about these things! REMEMBER!_ It was there, it was in the tip of her brain...but she couldn't remember.

"E-evie?" Doug's voice broke fearfully. "It's..It's getting higher!"

"I know! I know!" Evie snapped. The rug was almost to her waist now. She needed to think of a way out. And she needed to think of it _now_. "Find something to grab onto!" she ordered the others, reaching for the couch and attempting to hoist herself out. Beside her, Carlos grabbed a hold of the wall and desperately clung to it.

"T-there's nothing to g-grab!"

Evie felt the quicksand rising and heard the boy's yells of terror, even as she held on tightly to the couch and began to pull herself out. Her lungs were burning, her heart racing out of control. The rug held on tightly, but she refused to let go. She continued to struggle against it. She heard a gasp and a sigh of relief as Carlos did the same beside her and heaved himself from the trap, falling, with a long sigh, onto one of the couches and closing his eyes, saying a silent prayer of thanks.

Evie gave one last, adrenaline-enforced pull, and she too was free. _I'm out! I'm alive!_ She almost did the same as Carlos and was about to sit down when she heard the panicked scream.

"EVIEEEE!"

 _Doug!_ Heart threatening to explode, she whipped around, finding Doug flailing helplessly. The sand had nearly covered him by this point. His eyes were wide and terror-filled as the rug inched further and further up his chest. "DOUG!" she shrieked. "DOUG! HOLD ON!" She searched frantically for something for him to grab onto.

"Evie..." He gasped, struggling to get enough air as the sand constricted around him. "Evie...just...go..."

" _No_! Doug! Don't say that! I'm gonna get you out of there! CARLOS!"

The white-haired boy came running over. "What can we do?" he yelled.

"FOR STARTERS, STOP YELLING IN MY EAR! SECOND, GO FIND SOMETHING FOR DOUG TO GRAB ON TO!" Evie screamed back at him. He took off and Evie immediately grabbed the Dragonstone off of the pedestal and worked her way about around the edge of the trap, her outstretched hand quivering. "DOUG! TAKE MY HAND!"

He tried. The sand was above his neck now. Desperation shone in his eyes as their fingers almost touched, but were not quite close enough. Tears flooded Evie's eyes. _No, no, NO!_ "Doug, come on!" she pleaded, leaning over even further.

"I...I can't..." he wheezed. "Evie...tell my father...my family...that I love them..."

"I'm not letting you go!" Evie cut him off again. She leaned even further.

One minute her feet were firmly planted on the ground.

The next, she was walking midair and then fell forwards into the trap. She took a deep breath as the sand covered their heads and, the last thing she remembered before passing out was a blinding flash of silver light.

And then everything faded to black.

***

 _He awoke moments later in a brightly lit room. He winced, his head throbbing. The last thing he remembered was the floor eating him...and Evie...Evie had tried to rescue him. Where was she? Where was Carlos? Where was_ he _?_

_"Doug."_

_He looked up. He saw her standing over him, smiling. Her dark blue hair shimmered in the sunlight and her brown eyes shone. She seemed so calm. Too calm. Something didn't seem right. Hadn't they just been inside Ben's castle? How had they left?_

_He started to sit up, and realized that he was lying on a bed._ Weird. _He pushed himself up, surprised to feel no pain anywhere. But how was that possible? The Quick Rug, the sand, he should have been dead! "Evie?" he tried, hearing the raspy sound coming from his mouth. "Evie, what's going on? Where are we?" He scanned the room but didn't recognize it._

_She frowned. "You don't remember," she explained slowly. "It's okay. Here." She knelt down beside him and helped him to his feet. "We're home."_

_"Home?" Doug echoed, confused. "Auradon?" Yes. Yes, they'd been in Auradon. That was right. He remembered that._

_Evie looked a bit disappointed. "No..." she said slowly. "No, we're not in Auradon. I mean, we_ are _, but, not really." She blinked back tears and gave him a forced smile._

_"Then where are we?" Doug asked. "This isn't the Isle. It's too...sunny. And I'd recognize you're house so..." He trailed off, hearing a familiar sound from outside._

_Laughter. Child's laughter._

No _._

_Doug's heart stopped. "E-evie?" He turned back toward her, feeling the tears welling up in his eyes. "W-what d-did you do? H-how?"_

_She shook her head slowly. "It wasn't me," she said. "It was the stone. I fell in, too. It brought us here."_

_No longer paying attention, he moved away from her and walked softly out the door into the back yard, where two figures could be seen. Neither seemed to notice, or be aware, that the two teens were there._

_"What?" She hurried after him. "Doug, what is it?"_

_He stood there, petrified, as a dark-haired woman tossed a little boy up into the air. They were both laughing. And the little boy's bright eyes sparkled excitedly. On his face was a goofy expression that could only belong to one person._

No _._

 _Evie gasped. "That's...that's_ you _?"_

_The woman set the boy down and leaned back in her swing, watching him play with all the woodland animals. The deer acted like puppies, and the birds flocked to his shoulders. There was only one family that could do that._

Please...not this...

_"This was your home," Evie realized, turning to take it all in. "Your house was so beautiful. And that's..." She trailed off here as Doug moved away from her and inched, disbelievingly, towards the woman._

_"Mom?" he whispered as he came around to stand before the swing. The woman gave no sign of hearing or seeing him. "It's me. It's Doug. Can...can you see me? Momma?"_

_"Doug..." Evie began in a whisper, coming over and taking his arm gently. "I don't think she can..." She paused as the woman stood up and focused her attention on the little boy._

_"Doug!" his mother called. "Time to come inside!"_

_"MOM!" Doug yelped as she moved away from them. "MOM! NO! Don't go inside! Mom, stop!" He tried to step in front of her and block her path but she walked right through him as though he didn't exist._

_"Doug!" she repeated. "It's time to go!"_

_"No!" the little boy howled as he played with the raccoons. "I wanna stay!"_

_"Douglas Robert Dwarfson! You come over here right now!"_

_"NO!" Doug screamed as the mother and son started towards the cottage. He and Evie raced after them. "Stop! She's in there! Mom please, STOP!"_

_"She can't hear you!" Evie reminded him, grabbing him and hauling him backwards._

_"No...NO!" Tears were spilling from his eyes. He yanked free of her grip and charged towards the building, passing through the doors as if it were nothing more than an illusion. Evie hurried after him._

_"Mom? MOM!" he yelled, racing down the hallways. Evie walked slower, but he ignored this._

_"Doug..." she began._

_Doug skidded around the bend into the living room. But he was too late. He knew it, he could feel the dread before he even entered the room. She was dead. Dead, just like he remembered her. Her body lay still on the floor before him. He dropped to his knees, the pain ripping through his heart._

No.

No.

No.

Not again.

_Footsteps. Evie flew into the room behind him. Seeing the scene laid out before her, she gasped and covered her mouth in horror._

_"Momma?" came a small voice from around the bend. The little boy wandered in at that moment. "Momma? I'm hungie." He saw her lying there. "Momma? Why are you sleepnie? Wake up. I hungie." He moved closer._

_Doug didn't look up, even as he felt Evie rest a firm hand on his shoulder._

_His past form knelt down beside the woman. "Momma? Mommy?"_

_"She's gone."_

_The cold voice caused both Evie and Doug to look up sharply. There, in the corner of the room, hidden by the shadows, stood a figure, a glinting knife in their hands._

_"Gone?" the little boy whimpered. "Gone where? She's right hewr."_

_The figure ignored him and focused her dark brown gaze on the two of them, as though somehow knowing they were there. "I'm sorry," she said, her eyes fixing on Doug._

_And then, she was gone._

_Doug stared at where the figure had stood. He felt his world crashing down all around him. His mother. Dead. Someone had killed his mother. She hadn't died in a car crash. Dopey had lied to him. And, those eyes, there was only one person who could have done this._

_And she was standing right next to him._


	25. Legends Within Legends

"You're making a huge mistake, Queenie," Mal growled, eyeing the redhead pacing back an forth in front of them.

The Princess of Hearts only sneered at her. "N _ooo_ , I don't think so." She held up Maleficent's spell book. "No book. No magic. Right?" She pretended to frown but her eyes gleamed triumphantly as she tucked the spell book into her satchel and continued her pacing. "So...what's your great plan _now_ , Mal? Wait for your friends to show up to rescue you? Try to break out yourself? Honestly, I just want to know your plan. Maleficent always said you were cunning. But, I have yet to see it."

Mal growled. _Evie_ _was right. She_ does _talk too much_. But Queenie was right. The three of them were a bit...tied up...at the moment. The Dragonstone had disappeared, and, at that time, there had been so sign of the others. That was obvious by the dark glares Queenie had been giving every inanimate piece of furniture. _Which means Evie, Carlos, and Doug are still all right. They can still stop all of this._ She had to admit, she hated relying on others to save the day. It was a feeling she was much more accustomed to having herself. Not that she was selfish about the concept of saving everyone. She just didn't like to let anyone put themselves at risk.

On her left, Ben struggled against their restraints. Mal sighed and rolled her eyes. "Ben, _stop_ ," she groaned. "That's not going to work." _She's got us_. She glanced down at her hands, tied tightly behind her back, and to the pole, along with Jay's and Ben's. _We've got to think of a way out of here._

Her eyes drifted around the room, searching for something she could use her magic on. She knew a few spells, but nothing that could provide them with any assistance in this type of situation.

Ben kept struggling.

" _Ben_. Man. Seriously, stop," Jay hissed from Mal's right. "We need to get out of here," he added to Mal in a frantic whisper. "The others could be in trouble. _Especially_ if one of them has the Dragonstone."

"Yeah, I'm still trying to process how that is possible," Ben joined in. "How did you _lose_ it in the first place?"

Mal shot him a dirty look. "Okay. First off, I did _not_ _los_ e it. It just _disappeared_! And second, we don't know that the others even have it or if they've been caught! So let's not assume the worst, all right? They'll find us. We'll get out of here."

Queenie threw back her head and laughed maniacally. "Oh, oh, that's good," she sneered. She strolled over to them with a devilish grin. "You honestly think those...those _fools_...can rescue you? Well, I've got news for you, _we found them_. Right about now, our decor should have almost finished them off. And as for the Dragonstone, it will go down with them, along with any hope you had for saving Auardon." She pretended to look heartbroken. "How sad."

Jay tried to lunge at her but he could only glare and grunt furiously.

"You'll never get away with this, Queenie," Mal snapped.

"Oh, _hmmm._ And who's going to stop me, Mal? _You?_ I think you've already proven that you can't. You couldn't even get close. Evie's smart, I'll give her that. But not smart enough. Did you think I didn't guess what your plan was? I _know_ you, Mal. Your friends were never going to get in here without me noticing them. It was stupid of you to even try."

As Queenie turned away, Mal was already looking for another way out. She, Jay, and Ben were all bound together by the same rope and tied to the same pole. So, maybe, if there were a way to knock over the pole...

A burning pain suddenly rushed through her chest. She gasped, feeling her magic surge and churn throughout her body. _The stone_ , she realized. _Someone's using it_. But how? And who? Had Evie found it? Was this hers or Carlos' doing? The vision stone, she sensed. The silver Dragonfire had been activated. _They're all right!_ Her breath of relief was short-lived, however, as she realized something. If _she_ could feel the Dragonstone, then so could Maleficent. She'd know the others escaped.

She blinked, coming back to reality, and found both Ben and Jay staring at her. Queenie hadn't seen her reaction, so she leaned over to whisper to her friends. "The others are alive," she hissed. "The Dragonstone...someone used it."

They looked relieved. "Do you...do you know who used it?" Ben questioned. "Can you...sense it?"

Mal shook her head. "No. I can only feel that it's been used. Vision."

"Vision?" Jay repeated. " _Doug_?"

Queenie paused her pacing at this. Mal ignored this reaction and shook her head quickly. "No. Impossible. Remember what Celia said? Only a villain can use the stone now that it had been combined. Or...more accurately...someone with villain blood. It was Evie or Carlos."

" _Queenie_!"

Everyone twisted toward the source of the fierce snarl. Morgana descended the stairs, her body still fading in and out of reality. Her eyes flashed dangerously as she eyed the three captives. "Where is the Dragonstone?" the sorceress demanded coldly. "Maleficent's daughter does not wield it. You know what will happen if those _children_ learn what it can do...and the identity of the NeoMerlin."

Jay's brow furrowed. " _NeoMerlin_?" he mouthed to Mal who shrugged, drawing a blank as well. _What's the NeoMerlin? There was nothing about_ that _in my spell book_. She waited, hoping Morgana might elaborate.

She was in luck.

Morgana, noticing her confused expression, glided to the front of the room. "Twenty-two years ago," she began. "When Beast banished all the villains to the Isle, I escaped to a world without magic, where we all are merely figments of people's imagination. There, Merlin's ring chose its Prime Merlinian. While powerful, Merlin knew that his powers would not last forever. They would fade and eventually disappear. For that reason, he foretold a successor, someone to inherit his powers. But he did not want just _anyone_. No. To show he held no grudge against the villains, he said the NeoMerlin would be the offspring of both a hero and villain. A _half-breed._ "

"The Chosen One," Ben guessed, eyes wide.

Morgana eyed him disdainfully. " _Yes_. For the first time in many years, I sense the presence of ancient magic within these walls."

"So, you're saying--" Mal's brain was hastening to fit all the pieces together.

"The NeoMerlin is _here_."

 _Evie_. Mal's mind let off a thousand warning sirens but she managed to keep her face emotionless. Whether or not she believed it, the evidence was all pointing towards her best friend. It was as clear as day to her. There was _no way_ it could be anyone else.

It was evident by the boy's shocked expressions that they had been thinking the same thing and agreed with her.

Queenie noticed their shared glances. "You _know_!" she gasped. "You know who it is, don't you?"

Morgana glared at her. "Do not always believe what you see on the outer surface. The answer is not always a straight line, nor is the solution ever the obvious choice," she warned in a faint, and slightly threatening, hiss.

Queenie rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah, whatever."

"Why are you telling us this?" Jay demanded.

 _"Because_..." Morgana turned towards him. "The NeoMerlin is powerful...too powerful...their magic is enough to destroy all of Auradon and the Isle at once. And that magic...it can be enough to corrupt even a hero...especially with the addition of the Dragonstone. One might just go... _insane_."

"And what do you want us to do?" Ben asked suspiciously.

"My dear Beast, is it not obvious? I am not the villain here. I want to save everyone, just like you. All I am asking is that you find the NeoMerlin and stopthem before they destroy everything."

" _You_. Want _us_. To help _you_?" Mal echoed.

"Yeah," Jay scoffed. "Not happening."

Morgana's eyes flashed dangerously. "You _will_ help me," she hissed, waving a hand in front of them.

Immediately, Mal's eyes began to feel heavy and her head swam. She knew they'd been spelled, but she found she had no strength or willpower to resist. Their restraints fell away and she found her body moving against her brain's screaming.

"That's better," Morgana sneered. "Now...I want the three of you to go and find the NeoMerlin. _And_ , once you find him, I want you to _kill_ him."

***

Having one best friend disappear into a greedy (not to mention hungry) rug trap is bad enough.

But to have two...that was just the _worst_.

So that was why, when Evie and Doug disappeared into the mountain of sand, Carlos began to have a mental breakdown.

_Where did they go? Where are they? Are they all right? Are they dead? Should I go after them? Where's the Dragonstone? Evie took it with her. What do I do now? Do I have to face all of the villains alone? I can't do it! I need help! Evie! Doug! Where are you?_

_Okay...okay...think Carlos._ Think. _What would Mal say if she were here? Breathe. Breathe first. Formulate a plan. Execute it._

_But I have no plan! I'm all alone! And the floor just ate Evie and Doug!_

He was so freaked out that he didn't even notice the flash of silver light. He heard a two loud thumps, followed by pained groans, and spun around, gasping as he spotted Evie and Doug laying on the floor across the room. Both were on their backs, panting. Tears were streaking down their faces, though Carlos had no idea why, and the Dragonstone was glimmering dimly in Evie's hand.

"Guys!" he gasped, vaulting the furniture and skidding to a halt before them as they staggered to their feet. "What happened? Where'd you go? How'd you get over here? Are you both all right?"

Evie nodded slightly. "Yeah," she groaned, standing up and then turning back towards Doug who was halfway up, looking scared stiff. "Hey," she whispered, kneeling back down beside him. "Are you going to be okay?" Her voice quivered. She'd been crying. Hard, by the sound of it.

He nodded slowly and heaved himself to his feet, keeping his gaze fixed firmly on the ground.

Carlos had no idea what had happened to the two of them. He could tell, by the way the jewel was shining, that they'd just seen a vision, but of what, he couldn't begin to guess. "Are you sure you're both all right? I mean, we can stop and take a break...if...if that's what you need."

"No," Evie said quickly, while Doug shook his head in protest. "No, we've got the Dragonfire. We need to get it back to Mal as quick as possible and then find the villains before they can cause any more harm."

"Well, isn't this your lucky day?" came Mal's cold voice from the doorway.

Carlos felt himself twirl around, along with Evie and Doug. He gasped, seeing Mal, Ben, and Jay standing in the doorway. Only, they didn't seem like themselves. The way they stood, and the way Mal spoke, it was more like they were mind-controlled zombies or space aliens, than their friends. And, it didn't help matters that Queenie was standing only feet behind them, and they didn't even seem to care.

"Mal?" Evie took a step forwards with a frown. "Mal, what's going on? What are you doing with _her_?"

The purplette gave no sign of hearing her. She only tilted her head and smiled slightly. "You have something that belongs to me. I want it back." Before anyone could say anything, her eyes glowed green and she raised her hand. There was a sonic explosion and Evie was sent flying backwards to the floor, stunned, the Dragonstone clattering uselessly away. "Now," Mal went on with the same zombie-like voice. She turned her haunting glare on Carlos and Doug as the two moved defensively in front of Evie. Carlos stood firm, though every nerve in his body was screaming for him to run. Next to him, he could feel Doug shaking, though the dwarf refused to leave Evie's side. "Give me the NeoMerlin," Mal hissed.

"Or what?" Carlos demanded, hearing his voice come out as more of a frightened squeak than a challenging roar.

Mal blinked and her grin grew even wider. "Give me the NeoMerlin...or you will _all_ die."


	26. The Secret of the Stone

"Mal," Carlos began warily, tensing as the mind-bent purplette moved toward them. "Mal, _wait_. It's me! It's Carlos! Mal, _think_ about what you are doing! This isn't you! We're supposed to be _stopping_ the villains, not _helping_ them!" Mal took another step toward them. Carlos put out an arm, signaling Doug to back off a bit. "Mal, listen to me! Is this really what you want to do? Is... _hurting people_...the answer to anything? Mal, look what you did to Evie! You don't do that! You said it yourself. Taking over the world doesn't make you happy! And neither will killing me."

He felt Doug's gaze shoot towards him but he pushed it away. He'd already riddled most of it out for himself. A hero and a villain. It wasn't Mal. Evie was sure it wasn't her. Jay was under Queenie's spell so, logically, it couldn't be him. That left _him_. Cruella De Vil's son. The youngest, and smallest, of all the VKs. He was ready to accept his fate. If he was destined to somehow defeat Morgana, than he would do his best, or die trying.

Queenie's eyes lingered on him for a moment. "My dear boy, who said anything about killing _you_?"

Carlos reeled at this. Not him? How could it not be him? Who did that leave? _It isn't a VK?_ His mind was so caught up in trying to unravel all the information that he almost didn't see where Mal was going to strike next. His eyes widened and he gasped. "Doug! _Move!_ " He lunged backward, knocking the boy onto the ground. Carlos threw his arms over his head, feeling the heat of a spell rush past them, missing by mere inches, and hearing the tremendous crash as it smashed into the the wall.

 _What is going on?_ He heard his mind screaming as he lay there, feeling Doug quivering beside him. _Why is Queenie doing this?_ _Why attack Doug? He's got to be the_ least _threatening of all of us!_ He had no time to process all these thoughts, however, as he heard a loud hiss and knew what was coming next. Even as he lifted his gaze in horror, he inhaled the pungent purple fumes. Ice-cold dread flooded through him as he grabbed Doug and drug him to his feet.

"Oh no..." the dwarf gasped as the two of them stood before the large reptile that was forming before their eyes. "Please tell me she's not doing what I think she's doing."

"Man," Carlos groaned, already tensing to run. "I wish I could."

Mal, the dragon, lunged at them with a earth-shaking roar.

"Oh Dalmatians. _RUN_!" Carlos screamed, grabbing Doug's arm and yanking him after him. The two abandoned Evie's side, though it was clear the villains were not at all interested in her. Carlos in the lead, the two boys raced behind a series of thick columns. Forcing Doug down beside him, Carlos took shelter as Mal came leaping around the bend after them, teeth flashing hungrily.

"Why is she chasing _us_?" Doug yelled, squeezing his eyes shut as fire exploded around the columns.

The heat radiated off of Carlos' skin as he waited, heart-racing, for the fiery breath to extinguish. "I don't know!" he shouted back. "But I suspect it has something to do with the Dragonstone...and something called the NeoMerlin. Do you have any idea what _that_ is?"

"No! I...I mean...y-yes! Well...a little!"

The fire ended and the roar got louder.

"Er...hold that thought..." Carlos stopped him. " _Time to go!_ " Grabbing his friend by the arm, Carlos jumped up and darted to the right, just as Mal came crashing around the poles, knocking over several large items of furniture and other various things. Her tail smashed into the wall and punctured a hole right through it.

The two boys retreated towards the fireplace. Carlos scanned the clearing, searching desperately for a way out. "We have to get out of here!" he gasped, eyeing a window as a potential escape route.

"What about Evie?" Doug protested, glancing desperately back at the girl who was still unresponsive.

"There's no time!" Carlos snapped. "It's us they're after. And, until we can figure out why, we have to get out of here!"

Doug bit his lip. "I can't leave her here!" he cried.

Meanwhile, Mal was getting closer. Carlos knew they'd have to do something, one way or another, before they both became extra crispy marshmallows. "Dude, I admire the bravery, _really_ , I do. But this is _not_ a great time to try and be a hero! Are you listening? Doug? _Doug_!"

The dwarf was already gone.

Carlos sighed and lifted his eyes to the heavens. But what was he going to do? He had to provide his friend with some cover, so, as Mal neared, he lunged forward and waved his arms frantically in the air. "Here, Mal! Over here! _Hey_! _Yeah_! That's it! Look at me, you overgrown lizard! Have I ever told you how much I _hate_ your hair? And how much of a better leader _Uma_ would have been than _you_? Maybe it would have been better for Uma to dump that bucket of shrimp on _your_ head! And did I mention I hated your hair?"

The dragon growled and puffed out a billow of hot steam, crouching down, her nose just feet away from Carlos who did his best not to look as unnerved as he felt. He could see Doug creeping along out of the corner of his eye. He was almost to Evie. But, now, Queenie, Ben, and Jay seemed to notice something was amiss and were already beginning to react.

"Oh sheesh," Carlos moaned, struggling to keep Mal's eyes on him. "Doug! You've got company!"

"It's a diversion!" Queenie screamed. "The dwarf is going for the Dragonstone! _Stop him_!"

The reaction was almost instantaneous. Ben and Jay drew their swords and rushed at Doug who was only meters away from Evie.

"DOUG! LOOK OUT!" Carlos yelled the warning. At the same time, Mal lunged. Carlos threw himself sideways. He hit the ground on his shoulder and Mal whizzed over his head and crashed into a wall before staggering back up and turning on him once more.

Meanwhile, Doug had, rather clumsily, drawn his own sword, and was doing his hardest to block and defend himself and Evie. But, after only a few blows, he had retreated to his knees, still fighting his hardest. But Ben and Jay were both professionals when it came to fencing. The odds were two to one against him. Doug was crow food. But, with newfound strength, he held his own. Both blades came flying down at him at once. He fended them off and thrust his sword up, throwing the two back. He scrambled back to his feet and stepped protectively in front of Evie.

"Don't let him get the stone!" Queenie howled.

Mal's attention swung away from Carlos, much to the boy's dismay. Her glowing green eyes fixated themselves on Doug who continued to battle but was obviously growing weaker by the minute. Carlos leaped back to his feet and, drawing his sword, charged after Mal. He needed to get to Doug. The dwarf was smart, but fighting was way out of his element.

Mal seemed to sense him coming, however, and slammed her tail backwards, colliding with his chest and sending him soaring backwards and rolling to the floor, gasping and winded. He tried to stand but found that his lungs refused to let him. He could only lay there and watch the scene unfold helplessly.

Doug seemed to realized the tide had turned as well. Still fending off Ben and Jay, Doug retreated a few steps so he stood near Evie's head. He kept fighting, but, at the same time, he shot desperate glances toward her motionless form. Carlos was quite surprised by this natural show of ability that he'd never seen in his friend before and the precision at which he could multi-task. The white-haired boy made a mental note to have Lonnie teach Doug a few tricks when they got back home. The boy had _real_ potential.

Queenie frowned, possibly noticing this sudden turn of events as well. Her eyes flashed orange and, with a flick of her hand, she commanded Mal to close in on the battle.

Doug didn't seem to notice this as he frantically battled on while simultaneously pleading Evie to respond. "Evie, Evie, _please_! Wake up! Evie, we have to go! We have to get out of here! _Wake up_!"

There was no response from the bluenette.

In a moment of distraction, Doug lost sight of the battle, and Ben took advantage of that to knock his sword away. Jay proceeded to kick the boy to the ground. Doug fell hard and his sword clattered out of reach. His glasses jumped from his face and landed on the floor beside Jay who promptly smashed them under his foot with a wicked grin.

"Doug!" Carlos wheezed, eyes widening in horror as the dwarf felt along the ground desperately, no longer able to see. "Above you!"

Doug turned towards the sky, squinting, not able to focus on anything, and definitely not seeing the sword that was plunging straight for his heart. But, hearing Carlos' warning, he instinctively rolled to the right, towards Evie. The blade sunk into the tile inches away from where he'd just been lying.

"The Dragonstone!" Carlos yelled again. "It's right beside you!"

Doug felt for it. His hand touched it and he quickly balled a fist around it. He turned, gasping and breathless, to face down his friends.

"No! Doug!" Carlos was shouting. "You can't use it! You're not a villain! Toss it here! Toss it to me!" He struggled up, reaching out desperately for it.

Doug didn't respond. His eyes were fixed on something else, or _someon_ e else.

" _Doug! Throw i_ t!" Carlos screamed, watching in horror as Jay and Ben moved in to finish the attack. " _WHAT ARE YOU_ DOING? _THROW. IT!"_

Ben raised his sword once more and prepared to strike.

Carlos' voice was hoarse from screaming. He tried to shout out another warning, but couldn't.

Suddenly, the stone began to pulse with a strange orange glow. The light burst from the jewel and spiraled upwards around Doug who nearly dropped it in shock. Ben and Jay backed away, shielding their eyes from the light. Mal reared backwards, howling, as the glow intensified. Carlos stared, jaw dropped, at the scene that was unfolding before him.

 _No_... _it_ _couldn't_ _be_...could _it_? _Doug_?!

_The stone can only be used by a villain..._

_The_ _NeoMerlin_ _..._

_Doug...not a_ _villain...a_ _hero...not a villain..._

_It's just not possible!_

And yet, it was the most obvious solution. There was no denying the power that was radiating from the stone, a kind of power Carlos had only seen once and desperately hoped never to again. _I don't believe it._

Queenie screamed painfully as the light exploded around the room and everyone was thrown violently to the floor. Carlos threw his hands before his face to shield himself from the flames and then, heard the grunts and groans from the others. He looked up, spotting Jay and Mal, who'd reverted to bring human again, staggering to stand up. The zombie-like look was gone from their faces. They just seemed confused. So did Ben as he sat up across the room and blinked, staring at all of the mess.

"Er..." the king began. "Someone wanna tell me what happened here?"

"You _fools_!" Queenie screamed. She took a faltering step backward as Doug, forgetting the stone in his haste, knelt down and kissed Evie firmly on the lips. A moment passed. The sapphire-haired girl groaned and stirred. She opened her eyes in confusion, a small smile crawling into her face as she saw Doug kneeling beside her.

"Did you..." she began in a faint whisper.

Doug nodded and helped her to her feet. "Now we're even." He held out the Dragonstone as he turned slowly to face Queenie. "And now, I think it's time to finish this, what do you say?"

Evie frowned, seemingly confused as to why Doug was holding the Dragonstone. She did not question it, however, as she backed away to let him to his thing.

"You can't do it," Queenie rasped, her voice breaking in fear. She backed up until she could not go any further. "You're not strong enough. That hero blood makes you _weak_. Morgana was right. Your mother was wise to abandon you. She knew you'd be nothing but a _weakling_. Such a waste, really, all that power, used up on a _disappointment_ like you. Not even _worthy_ of being called a villian's child."

Doug flinched. "She _didn't_ abandon me," he fired back. " My mother is dead! And she _wasn't_ a villain!"

"Oh _really_? How else do you explain _that_?" She pointed to the glowing Dragonstone still clutched tightly in Doug's hand. "The offspring of a hero and a villain. Of life and death. The only way one could wield it."

Her words seemed to sink in and Doug lowered his gaze. "No..." he whispered. "No...that's not true. Y-you're _lying!_ "

She arched an eyebrow. "Am I? Look for yourself, dwarf. You _ar_ e the NeoMerlin. You _ar_ e a villain."

"No...no...no, no, _no_!" Doug opened his hand and stared at the pulsing stone. It glowed, almost as if it had a life of its own. " It...It _can't_ be me. Evie..." he turned toward his girlfriend in confusion. She stated back at him with a mixture of horror and amazement.

Carlos copied this expression. After all this time, after coming so far, after being _so certain_ that it was Evie, it was _Doug_ , the least likely out of all of them.

"Yes," Queenie laughed. "I'm sure it does a bit strange. Turns out, Evie just has inherited her mother's powers. There's nothing special about her. But _you_ ," she strode closer. Doug tensed but did not run away. " _You_ are something _extraordinary_. So, _tell_ _me_ , how does it feel to be chosen?" She raised a hand, preparing to cast a spell over him, possibly like the one she'd placed on Mal and the others.

Carlos started to run forwards to push them out of the way of the spell, but someone beat him to it.

Queenie hissed the curse and brought her hand swinging down. The light burst from her palm and barreled right toward Doug's chest. He froze, petrified, as the spell shot at him. His feet were stuck. He couldn't move.

The spell got closer.

Right before it could hit, someone threw themselves in front of him, shielding him from the blow and taking the hit themselves. They fell to the floor.

Queenie laughed. "So long _heroes_." She disappeared into a plume of black smoke.

Carlos was still in shock at the whole ordeal. It was only Doug and Mal's screams that awoke him from his trance and opened his eyes to the horrible reality that had descended upon them.

" _EVIE_!"


	27. The Point of No Return

Time seemed to come to a screeching halt.

One minute, Evie was standing behind him, just as shocked at the revelation as he. The next, she was taking the curse that had been intended for him. As she hit the ground and Queenie disappeared into a puff of smoke, he felt the terror ripping through his heart as the scream flew out of his mouth, simultaneous with Mal's.

" _EVIE!_ _"_

He felt his heart shattering over and over. The weight of the truth plummeted to his feet and rooted him to the floor. He couldn't move, couldn't react. All he could do was stand there and stare in utter shock and horror. _No..._ His mind was still scrambling to process it all. _She didn't. She_ wouldn't _._ It was all a vain attempt to convince himself. She _would_ , in a heartbeat, sacrifice herself to save him. He just couldn't bring himself to believe that she _had_.

There was a flash of purple as Mal darted past him and threw herself on her knees next to her friend. "Evie? _Evie_! Oh, what did Queenie do to you? Evie..." She took the girl's hand and glanced up at Doug with tear-filled eyes. "She did this for you," she told him harshly. "She loved you! She saved your life! So don't just stand there like some dumb dwarf! Get over here and _help me_!"

Her tone was sharp and angry. Doug didn't question it. He rushed to her side and crouched down next to her. "But what can I do?" he whispered, hearing his voice trembling. "I can't control magic, let alone do anything about _this!_ "

"You're the _NeoMerlin_!" Mal snapped. "You have the power to give life! You have to save her!" He stared at her in panic. "All right," Mal growled, taking a deep breath and calming herself down. "Here." She took his hand and guided him to place it on Evie's forehead. "Take a deep breath," she instructed, noticing the furious blush creeping into his cheeks. "When your magic is activated, you'll feel it. Come on. You got it. Yeah." She tried to give him what he supposed was intended to be a smile. It looked a bit more like a growl.

Doug nodded quickly, trying to still his shaking hands. The Dragonstone was hot in his grip and the heat sent hastened pulses through his body. _Mal's right. I can do this_ , he told himself. He inhaled sharply and closed his eyes, focusing all of his energy toward his hands. _Come on. Come on._ Work _! Evie, I'll save you! Just hold on!_

 _"Yes!_ Just like that!" Mal whispered, removing her hand now and sitting back, watching in approval.

"I have no idea what I'm doing," Doug confessed quietly.

"Well, whatever it is, keep doing it. I think it's working."

He wanted so badly to roll his eyes, but, other than Evie, Mal was the only one there who would know anything about magic. He had to hope she knew what she was talking about. _Great. Really helpful. Okay...here goes nothing._ "Evie?" he whispered quietly. "Evie, can you hear me?" He retracted his hand, watching her lifeless form with hope.

"Evie?" Mal joined in, touching her friend's shoulder gently.

The others circled them now. Ben had an arm around Carlos and Jay, steadying them. His gaze was focused on Evie, as were the others'. "Anything?" he asked softly, his eyes flicking toward Mal desperately. The purplette looked up at him and shook her head.

Doug stared. The burning tears pricked at his eyes. It hadn't worked. He hadn't saved her. It hadn't worked. He hadn't been strong enough. It hadn't worked. _She's gone._ He brushed his nose, reverting to the default of fiddling with his glasses, forgetting they weren't there. He didn't care that he couldn't see. All he cared was that Evie was lying before him. And he hadn't been able to save her.

Carlos was struggling to comprehend this. "She's...she's dead?"

"No..." Doug muttered, refusing to believe it.

"Dude, it's not your fault," Jay said quickly, noticing the expression on the dwarf's face. "You couldn't have stopped it."

"No!" Doug cried. The tears came hard and fast now. He didn't bother to try and contain them. His heart crumbled and he fell to his knees beside the bluenette. "No! No! No, no, _no_! _Evie_!" He took her hand, hoping, praying, that somehow Mal was wrong. _She has to be! Evie can't...she can't...not for_ me _._ "EVIE!"

"Morgana's still out there," Mal forced out. "Someone has to stop her." She glanced up at Ben and the others. "We have to go after them and save Auradon. _For Evie_."

"I can't...can't...leave her...not...not like...like this," Doug was sobbing now. "I...was supposed to pro-protect her. T-true Love. That's what she said." He smiled painfully, tears rolling down his cheeks. "I was her Romeo. S-she loved me but I...I never told her...that I loved her. _Why didn't I tell her I loved her_?"

"She knew," Ben spoke up firmly. Doug looked up at him desperately. "Doug, she knew."

"But...I-I..."

"Doug," Carlos came forward to kneel next to him and rested a firm hand on his shoulder. He had tears in his eyes too but he quickly blinked them back. "Come on, man, we have to go." He tried to pull Doug to his feet but the blond refused to budge. "Dude, _seriously_ , come on."

"Evie would want us to finish our mission," Jay added tonelessly.

Doug shook his head firmly. He closed his eyes and just planted himself more firmly to the ground. "No."

" _Doug_ ," Mal began. She started an exaggerated sigh but stopped when he glared firmly at her, something he'd never had the courage to do before.

" _No_."

His entire demeanor had changed. Mal lurched back, stunned. She started to say something but Doug ignored her and went back to staring at Evie once more. _I have to save her! I have the Dragonstone! Surely I can!_ "Evie," he whispered, lifting her body into his arms, ignoring the stares from the others. "I...I love you. _Please_. Don't leave me."

The stone began to pulse again as Doug held the bluenette close. The tears continued to pour from his eyes as he leaned over to kiss her gently. He paused, doubting himself. He'd just awoken her once, would another kiss really work? He retreated, red-eyed.

"Doug, I'm sorry," Ben told him, patting him on the back reassuringly. "But the others are right. Evie'd want us to stop Morgana."

Doug nodded weakly. Ben was right. That was exactly what she'd want. He slowly put Evie back down and wiped his tears away. He stood up and turned to face the others. Though he could not see anymore than a bunch of blurs, he knew the others were watching him, waiting. Even Mal. He took a deep breath and pocketed the Dragonstone.

What he didn't see were his tears that had rolled onto Evie suddenly glow yellow and disappear.

He trudged over to the others who were beginning to discuss how to find Morgana and the other villains. He kept his head down. It wasn't until he heard footsteps, and could make out the blur of Mal's black army style boots, did he look up. "Mal?" he questioned, squinting.

"Yeah. Here." She held something out to him. The something was glinting in the faded light.

Doug cautiously took them. _My glasses!_ He shoved them on, blinking at her gratefully. She gave him a small nod before turning back to the matter at hand.

"We could go back to the cottage," Carlos suggested. "Try to contact the others. Get some reinforcements."

"No, too risky," Jay argued. "That's the first place they'd look for us."

"Well, where else can we go? Fairy's Hill?" Ben asked.

"Too exposed," Mal decided. "We need somewhere... _hidden_...where Morgana would never think to look for us. But not a flashy castle. That's the first place Queenie would check. Can anyone think of anywhere like that?" She glanced around the circle. They all stood there, sheepishly quiet.

"We...could...go to my family's cottage."

Doug gasped, shocked at the words exploding from his mouth. He immediately wanted to take it back, but it was too late. And he knew it was the best option. Ben's castle...obviously out of the question. They weren't safe here. None of the remaining VKs owned any property. And the kingdoms were not protected. Morgana would destroy patrols easier than splitting jello. They needed somewhere secluded. Somewhere off of the map.

Somewhere like the cottage of the Seven Dwarfs.

"Doug," Ben interrupted. "Are you sure? What about your family--"

"Visiting Derek in Sherwood Forest," the dwarf cut him off. "We'd be safe there. For a couple of days anyway. That should be enough time to plan our next move--" He stopped with a gasp as a pain shot through his body and his hands immediately flew to his chest as he staggered.

"Doug?" Jay flashed him a concerned look.

"Dude, what's happening?" Carlos added, frowning.

Doug didn't answer as he reached out and caught a hold of a post, balancing himself, feeling the pain increase and his breaths become more constricted. The stone shimmered in his pocket. A gasp from Mal caused him to turn with a pained gasp. What he saw nearly made him faint in relief.

Evie.

Breathing.

Evie was _alive_.

Mal was already at her side, whispering softly to her. The boys quickly gathered around as well, Doug especially. Evie's chocolate brown gaze settled on him as he knelt down beside her. "You did it," she said in a hoarse croak. "You _are_ him, after all."

"Evie," he squeaked. "How...how...you were _dead_!"

" _You_ ," she answered, laying her head back against the hard floor and staring at the ceiling.

"Me? But...but...Evie! I tried! I couldn't do anything!"

"The NeoMerlin has the ability to take life...or give it," Ben explained, coming closer to kneel beside Mal. "Everyone has life. You shared yours. Unconsciously, of course, but it worked. Evie's alive, because of you. And that's the power of a sorcerer."

"Wow," Doug stared at his hands in wonder. "That's... _incredible_!"

"See?" Evie chuckled. "Told you so."

"Evie..." The tears came back. But this time they were of pure joy. "I'm so sorry! I love you! I love you so much! I'msorryInevertoldyoubeforeand--"

"Doug, stop. I can't understand _anything_ you're saying. And besides, I know."

"You...you _do_?"

She nodded. "I've always known. Love at first 'Heigh-Ho', right?"

Doug smiled, remembering the first time he'd laid eyes on her, and he hugged her tightly. Evie winced slightly at the squeeze but hugged him back almost as firmly.

"Okay, wow, I'm glad Evie's all right," Jay interrupted. "But we still have to stop Morgana before she takes over Auradon. Yeah? Doug," he adjusted his gaze on the dwarf to stood up, and, with a bit of help from Mal, brought Evie to a weak standing position. "How far to your cottage?"

"About two hours by the crow flies," he answered.

"But...we aren't crows," Carlos pointed out.

"No, but we can still fly. Doug, _stone_?" Mal held out her hand and he handed the Dragonstone to her, knowing full well what was to follow. "Ben, you have horses in the palace stable don't you?" she went on.

"Of course," Ben nodded.

"All right. So, here's what we're going to do. Doug, go get a mount, then meet us in the front lawn. We can make it in no time if we fly...or... _ride_."

Doug nodded and took off out the door. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted the purple flash he'd grown so accustomed to, and knew the others had transformed. He ran all the way to the stables (not an easy feat for him), picked out a mount, and quickly tacked it up. Then, he hurried to join the others.

He found them waiting right where they said they'd be. All gathered in a circle. They waited as he rode up to them and seemed to wait for him to take the lead. He noticed a small smile from the blue water dragon he knew was Evie and an exasperated look from Mal. Ben stood between them and nodded to Doug, telling him to start. Doug wheeled his steed around and started for the trees. With that, the others sprang into the air behind him, choosing to glide over the trees rather than maneuver through th.

It was fully dark as he rode through the trees. The moon's feeble glow gave little assistance to the group as they passed outside the city's limits and flew (or rode) further and further into the dense shrubbery. They took frequent breaks, for Evie's sake (though she protested repeatedly that she was just fine).

Then, about two-and-a-half hours later, Doug finally rode into a large clearing and slowed his horse to a stop, signaling the others to come down. He stared at his home as his friends transformed back and came to join him.

"Wait... _hold_ _on_. _That's_ your cottage?" Carlos gasped. "It's...it's enormous! You could fit _three_ of Ben's castles in there easily!"

Doug chuckled as he stared up at the "cottage". "While it might have once held my father and uncles, we had to expand it a bit to accommodate the entire family. As you might imagine, there are a _lo_ t of us." He dismounted and took his horse's reigns.

"And you're sure Morgana doesn't know about this place? " Jay asked.

Doug looked at him. "How could she? Now," he went on. "Let me go tether this guy up and then I'll show you all around."


	28. The Faerie's Apprentice

While Doug was gone, Mal scanned the building once more. It wasn't a cottage. It was a _fortress_. At first glance, she decided it was about five times more heavily guarded than Ben's castle, and much more fitting for battle. Though, why, she hadn't the faintest idea. _What are they so afraid of? Bears_? She chuckled slightly at her own joke. There was nothing out there for the dwarfs to fear. Actually, if Mal were being honest, the whole thing creeped her out just a bit. She recalled Evil Queen's description of the cottage perfectly. _They made some serious upgrades to the place!_

"Mal," Evie's still weak voice whispered from behind her. "What do we do now?"

The others turned to face her as well. She hesitated, refusing to admit that she had no plan, that she was literally just winging it by this point. "We...we need to lay low for a while," she decided. "At least until we have had time to find out a little bit more about what we're up against."

"But what about the villains?" Jay questioned.

"Yeah, I don't think they're just going to stand around and wait for us to stop them," Carlos agreed, shooting nervous looks between them.

"And what about Dizzy, Celia, and the twins?" Evie put in. "If Morgana...or Queenie...goes looking for us, they could be in danger." Her eyes were wide with fright. Mal knew she was right. But was it really a good idea for any of them to go back? Could they make it before the villains? She doubted it. But, still, the new VKs...

"All right," she sighed. "Jay, you and Ben go back to the cottage and get the kids. Bring them here where they'll be safe."

"Yes, of course, right away," Ben said while Jay nodded.

"In that case, here," Mal handed Jay the Dragonstone. "You might need this." He took it in surprise and smirked, holding it out to Ben. "And don't get any crazy ideas," Mal added hastily. "Use it only when there's no other option."

"Got it," Ben assured her. "Jay, let's go."

They turned and took off sprinting toward the trees. Mal then focused her gaze on the two remaining VKs, and heard Doug come running back around to join them. "So here's what we're going to do," Mal explained as they gathered in close. "Doug, do you have a library in this place?"

He looked as if she had just asked whether oxygen was part of an H2O bond.

Mal saw this. "I'll take that as a _yes_. In that case, Carlos, you start searching for anything you can find about Morgana or the NeoMerling. We need everything you can get."

"Right," Carlos started running toward the house.

"But I haven't--" Doug began to protest.

"It's okay. He'll figure out his way," Mal interrupted.

"Erm...I _meant_ I hadn't unlocked the door yet."

"Oh."

Everyone laughed at Mal's embarrassed expression, and then hurried after Carlos who was already at the door, leaning against it, arms folded, impatiently. The white-haired boy moved aside to let Doug to the keyhole and retreated to stand beside the others. Unlocking the door, he led the way and the others piled in after him.

The inside was pitch black. Mal blinked, her eyes adjusting painfully. She waved a hand in front of her face but couldn't see it. She frowned, reminded too much of her mother's castle after sunset. It was not a pleasant memory.

"Wow," Evie commented from somewhere to her left. " _Dark._ "

"Oh...yeah...one moment...hang on." There was a shuffle, a thump, and the hum of lights firing up. A moment later, the room was flooded with light and they could get their first look at the inside. The primary thing Mal noticed was all of the wood. While the outside looked modern, made with bricks and clay, the inside had more a home-y feel to it. Wooden floors, logged walls, a spiraling staircase made entirely of varnished wood, it was _beautiful_.

"Whoa, _dude_!" Carlos gasped. "This place is incredible!"

"It's not bad," Doug agreed, strolling back over to them. "Um...Carlos? Mal said you wanted to use the library, right?"

Carlos nodded.

"All right. Then let's head that way first. This way!" He started up the steps, turning left at the fork and disappearing around the bend a moment later. When none of the others followed, he stuck his head back around the corner. "Uh...'this way' means _follow me_ , guys."

"Oh, oh, right."

Mal took the lead and hurried up the stairs after him. As she went, she noticed all the pictures lining the walls. She spotted a group photo. _Wow, there really_ are _a million of them_! She chuckled. If she thought Family Day at Auradon Prep had been bad, she couldn't imagine how Doug must have felt at family reunions.

Evie noticed what she was looking at and paused for a glance. "Doug, is that you?" She pointed him out. The tallest, not to mention nerdiest, boy with his pastel green shirt and semi-ugly tie, desperately trying to grab his glasses while being tackled by a rowdy-looking dark-haired teen.

"Yeah," Doug sighed, descending to the stairs, smirking awkwardly. "I had asked that picture be burned. Obviously, my dad liked it. Can't imagine why." He quickly took it down and stuck it under his arm. "Come on, the library is this way."

"Mal," Evie whispered, catching the purplette's arm. "It's the middle of the night. Can't we get some sleep and pick this up in the morning?"

Doug paused. "There are several spare bedrooms," he offered. "You're welcome to stay there." He glanced back at them for an answer.

Mal hesitated. There was so much work to be done. They needed to start looking right away. But, taking one glance at the others' exhausted expressions, she decided they needed the break. And it was only a few hours until sunrise. Surely they had time for a little nap, right? "All right," she sighed. "Let's rest for a few hours and then we'll start again in daylight. Sound good to everyone?"

"Yes," Carlos and Evie said together.

"Okay, Doug, lead the way."

"Right," the dwarf started off again with a little skip in his step. "This way." He turned down a side hallway. "There are guest rooms down that way. I'll let you sort out who's is who's. My room is just down the hall. If you need anything, just let me know."

"Okay, thanks," Evie called after him as he waved and continued on to his room. Then, she turned to Mal with a grin. "Mal, this place is _amazing_! I had no idea Doug's family was so rich."

"Well, they mine jewels for a living. What exactly were you expecting?" Carlos laughed, slinging an arm around the girls' shoulders. "Now, I don't know about you ladies, but, I'm bushed. I'll see you in the morning." He started down the hall and disappeared in a few moments, leaving Mal and Evie alone.

"Here's your spell book," Evie muttered, handing the book over. "Maybe there's something useful in there that can help us. I know you're eager to start searching for answers. I'll see you later." She turned and began down the hall after Carlos.

Mal sighed and ran a hand over the leather cover. So much had happened in the past day. She was still trying to process it all. What had started out as a simple disappearing act had grown into something so much more. And yet, there had still been no sign of Maleficent. Which made Mal wonder, with all the villains on the loose, she wondered how long it would be before the evil faerie showed up.

_No use worrying about it now. Jay and Ben will be back with the kids soon, and then we'll be safe, and we can start working on how to take down Morgana and the others._

She sighed and hurried down the hall after the others, picking one of the remaining rooms. She threw the book down on the bed-stand and fell on the bed. She was asleep in a matter of moments, all worries and questions about the day gone faster than one of Robin Hood's arrows.

But her peace did not last long. One moment she was dreaming of chocolate-covered strawberries, and the next, she was being shaken roughly out of her dream by a frantic Evie. "Mal! Mal, _wake up_! Come on, it's morning! _Get up_!"

" _What_?" Mal groaned, rolling over and opening her eyes, glaring firmly at Evie who was standing at her bedside. "What's going on? Where's the fire?"

"In the kitchen," Evie replied with a small smile. "Doug and the kids tried to fix us breakfast."

Mal wrinkled her nose at the foul odor drifting through the room. "More like _burned_ breakfast." She threw back her blankets and stood up slowly. "What time is it?"

"Almost nine-thirty," Evie answered.

"Jay and Ben?"

"Arrived about two this morning. Doug waited up for them."

"Wait... _Doug_ did?"

"Well...yeah. Turns out, he couldn't sleep either."

" _Either_?"

"I was awake all night," Evie confessed. "I had this...this _nightmare_...where...I _died_. Mal, do you know anything about that?"

Mal neglected to answer as she grabbed her spell book and tucked it underneath her arm. "And what was _his_ excuse?" she questioned, trying to avert her question.

Evie shrugged as they headed for the door. "Worry, I guess. He didn't say. But I get the feeling he was keeping something from me."

 _"Really_?" Mal closed the door behind them and fell in step alongside Evie. "And what makes you think that?"

"He just...seemed overly quiet, you know?" Evie sighed. " _Hey_ , and I even asked him what the capital of Yugoslavia was, and he just kept staring blankly ahead, like he'd seen a ghost or something."

"Hmmm."

"Mal, what is it? Do you know something?" Evie looked at her desperately. "Come on! It's _me, your best friend._ You can tell me!"

"I...don't know," Mal lied. "Maybe he's just stressed. A lot has happened these past twenty-four hours. Especially to him. Finding out your past may not be all it seems, _and_ that you're the _most powerful sorcerer_ to ever walk the face of Auradon...it's _a lot_ to process."

"Oh," Evie frowned deeply. "Yeah...I guess that's a good point."

Mal laughed and gave her a hug. "Don't worry. Doug can handle it. Just...give him a little space...all right? There are some things I think he's going to have to riddle out for himself."

"Like who his mother is?" Evie guessed. "What was it Queenie said, she was a villain? But how is that possible? A villain...with someone like _Dopey_? Even _I_ find that a little hard to believe."

"I don't know," Mal replied innocently. "I mean, look at the two of you."

Evie sighed. "But Doug is so... _different_. He's...kind...and...gentle...and...Mal, there's just not an evil bone in his body! He's no villain's kid!"

"But you love him," Mal argued. "Is it not possible that a villain felt the same about Dopey?"

"But, if that is the case," Evie went on. " _Who_? And how did they get off of the Isle? And did Beast know that one of them escaped?"

Mal shrugged. "I don't know," she admitted truthfully. " _But_ ," she added, "As soon as this is all over, I will talk to Beast and Belle and see if I can find his birth certificate or something. That'll tell us for sure, okay?"

"Okay," Evie said with a breathy sigh.

Mal smiled. "Come on," she said gently, putting an arm around her and jerking her head towards the kitchen. "Let's go before they burn the entire place down."

Evie laughed and their worries immediately melted away as they rounded the bend and found themselves in a cloud of smoke. Mal coughed, waving it away frantically, blinking through stinging eyes. "Doug!" she choked. "What...is going _on_...in here?"

"Er...hold on!" Doug shouted from somewhere in the smog. " _Celia_! Water!"

"Coming!" the girl came running in through the open back door, a large pale of water in her arms. She handed it off to Doug who frantically poured it on something. " _Dizzy! Toaster_! Twins, back up, this is _hot_!"

Evie sighed, grabbing Squeaky and Squirmy as they came running out of the smoke, and pulling them back away from the flames, brushing the soot and ash from their faces. "Okay, what happened?" she asked as Mal dove into the flames to help.

The boys said nothing, just pointed. They hardly said anything, though Evie had grown pretty good at reading their attempts. Mal decided to let her deal with that. She shielded her eyes as she found the source of the smoke, overcooked batter seeping from a small ancient toaster. "Okay," she sighed, grabbing Doug as he attempted to clear the smoke by opening a window. She took a deep breath and she summoned her magic forward into her hands. The smoke immediately reacted to her, blowing together into one large circle and then, with a snap of her fingers, Mal caused it to explode into nonexistence.

Celia and Dizzy fell against the small island with identical sighs of relief. Doug sighed too, though he looked more sheepish than relieved.

" _Now,_ " Mal gasped, rounding on him. " _What_ did you do?" She gestured toward the toaster.

"Erm...tried to make breakfast?" Doug offered weakly.

"He used his magic," Dizzy answered. Celia gasped and slapped a hand over her mouth. But it was too late. Doug groaned as Mal's gaze locked on him.

"Is that true?" she snapped.

"Yeah..."

"Okay, first off, _what is wrong with you_? You don't use magic to make... _waffles_!"

"Um, actually, Mal, you mean toast..." Evie tried to interject. Doug hung his head shamefully as Mal ignored the bluenette.

"And _secondly_ ," Mal went on dangerously. "Are you _insane_? You should have told someone what you were doing! You can't just.. _.inherit powers_...and _know how to use them flawlessly_! It takes years to master the art of spell-casting! You certainly should _not_ be trying to do such advanced spells on your own! You haven't even had these powers for a _day_!"

"I know," Doug whispered apologetically. "I just...wanted to do something right for once. I wanted to surprise everyone. I think I succeeded at _that_ at least."

"Hey, guys, what's.. _.whoa_!" Carlos nearly gagged and he, Jay, and Ben walked into the room. All three plugged their noses and took a step backwards, reeling. "What _happened_ in here?"

Mal sighed and pointed firmly towards the closet. "You've abused your magic. Clean it up," she told him. "Dizzy, Celia, come on. I'll make breakfast. As for you," she added to Doug. "Don't stop until every speck of grime is gone. Then, come find me and I'll teach you the rules for magic, 'kay?" With that, she turned and started to storm out of the room.

"So...I probably shouldn't use the mop?" Doug called after her.

"NO MOPS!"

Evie sighed and walked up the island as the girls hurried after Mal. "Are you all right?" she questioned, eyeing the mess disapprovingly.

"Fine," Doug answered tiredly.

"Do you want some help cleaning up?"

"Yeah, actually, that'd be great."

Mal left them at that and, after summoning some bacon and eggs and making sure the kids were fed, she headed out into the backyard, electing to stand near the lake and get a take of her surrounding in the daytime. She took a breath, hearing the birds chirping in the trees and the soft rustle of the wind rustling the grass and leaves. _It is so peaceful here_. She closed her eyes, feeling the sun's warm rays bathe her face with warmth.

She didn't know how long she stood there.

Footsteps crunched across the leaf-filled lawn and she turned as Ben approached.

"Hey," he said gently, wrapping his arms around her and staring out across the water. "How are you?"

"I'm fine," Mal answered automatically.

Ben let go and moved around to stand in front of her. "You sure? You really went off on Doug back there, you know that?"

"Yeah, but, it was his own fault for being so stupid," Mal protested, never taking her eyes off of an old maple tree right across the water. It's golden and orange leaves drifted lazily onto the water's surface.

"Now, come on Mal. You know him better than that. ' _Stupid_ ' and ' _Doug_ ' do not belong in the same sentence. So, _really_ , what's bothering you?"

"It's...it's complicated," Mal sighed.

Ben gestured for them to sit down. Once they were both seated comfortably on the grass, he took her hands. "So explain it."

"It's like...I spent my whole life knowing who I was. That I was Maleficent's daughter, that I was magical. I had _years_ to learn how my magic worked. Doug...he doesn't have that. We need his magic _now_ , which is _entirely unsafe_ on _so many_ _levels_ , and then there's the question of his mother. Evie's already brought up some concerns about who she might be and..."

"Hey, hey, hey, slow down," Ben cut off her off. "Now, _look_ , I may not know anything about magic, or Doug's mother, but I _do_ know Doug. We've been friends since before he could solve those chemical formulas in that big brain of his, which was pretty young, let me tell you. He's shy, unsure of himself, and freakishly smart, but he's no wimp. And when the time comes for him to defeat Morgana, he _will_. And he won't give up until he does. Because that's just who he is."

Mal nodded. "I know you're right. It's just...I can't get Queenie's words out of my head. What she said about him--"

"That the magic might cause him to go insane?" Ben interrupted. "That was all just a lie, Mal, a lie to get us to help her. Doug's fine. He's perfectly normal." He stood up and brushed the grass off of his pants.

"Does 'perfectly normal' nearly set the entire kitchen on fire?" Mal questioned.

Ben just laughed and started back up the hill toward the house. His laughter died almost as quickly as it had come, however, and was quickly followed by a murmur of apology.

And that was when Mal realized someone had been standing behind them this entire time. "Doug?" she guessed, feeling the magic radiating off of him like a nuclear bomb. He said nothing as she stood up and turned to find him standing there, shock written all over his face. "How...how long have you been standing there?"

"Mal, be honest," he whispered. Instantly, Mal knew she was going to detest what was coming next. "D-do you think I'm insane?"

"Doug--" she immediately began to cover for her previous words.

"Don't lie," Doug cut her off with a frown. "I'm sorry about breakfast, really, I am. I didn't mean to let it get so out of hand. And, if you think I'm too dangerous, I'll go. Just tell me and...and...I'll find somewhere else to lay low where I can't hurt anyone. The...the mountains...always wanted to see snow any-anyway. O-or the mines. I could hide in the mines. I couldn't hurt anybody there." For some reason, that thought caused fear to flash through his eyes.

"No," Mal said quickly, waving her hands in front of her face frantically. "Doug, just.. _.stop._ You're not going anywhere. I don't...think...you're insane. I think...you just made a mistake. You're human. It happens. Forget about it and let's move on."

Doug sighed and nodded gratefully. "So, you said you were going to teach me the rules of magic?"

Mal nodded. "Step back."

He did as he was told. Mal took a deep breath and raised her arms above her head. Thunder rolled in the darkening sky and lightning flashed through the heavens. One streak crashed into the earth, illuminating the clearing and sending Doug falling back with a cry of shock. Fire erupted around Mal, forming a circle of green flames that seemed to curve and slither into a variety of shapes within the ring.

"What. _..what_ is this?" Doug gasped.

"This," Mal told him as the sky cleared once more and only the strange ring remained. "Is the Merlin Circle. It is the first step for every sorcerer who ever walked the face of the earth. It is the key to all knowledge, and all power."

"Whoa," Doug breathed, flicking a hand over the flames, watching as they jumped away from him and molded back in the moment he retracted his hand. "So, this thing will help me control my powers?"

Mal shrugged. "In a way, yes. Come here." She held out her hand and helped him through the flame. "Take a breath," she ordered. "Feel the magic running through you." She waited as he obeyed. "There, you feel it?"

"Kinda...I feel like...I don't know what...stronger...I guess."

"Very good. Now, there are rules for using your magic, as with everything. Magic must be a _last_ _resort only_. That means no using it on petty things like waffles."

"Toast."

" _Whatever_. Next, magic, like anything, will drain you the more you use it. While smaller spells may not effect you too badly, bigger ones can be dangerous, and potentially fatal. So, until you are sure you can handle a spell, or I tell you too, _don't_ _risk_ _it_. Got it?"

Doug nodded. "Got it."

"All right." Mal clapped her hands and the flames lunged up higher, lapping greedily for the trees. "In that case, let us begin."


	29. A Wicked Heart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another original song for you're enjoyment. This is my favorite one so far :)

"Tell me..."

Morgana's voice was colder than death itself. Queenie shuddered as she pulled her cloak tighter around her body, feeling the chilling draft entering the room behind her. And it wasn't from the temperature either.

"How they managed to escape." The sorceress ran a hand across a row of dusty, untouched books, daintily plucking one from the shelves and flipping through its contents. Queenie found this particularly aggravating. _The_ _VKs_ _and their king got away! This is no time to be...reading!_ Still, she cringed as Morgana turned her petrifying glare upon her. "How did they break my spell? And that girl...you killed her! But yet, she _survived_!"

"It wasn't my fault," Queenie protested as the woman glided to the window and gazed out at the darkened city, a fiery vengeance in her eyes. "It was that boy! The dwarf! He undid your spell and saved Evie. He's more powerful than we could ever have imagined!"

" _The NeoMerlin_ ," Morgana hissed, not looking up from the book. "And, tell me, what is the delay in finding him and his pathetic friends?"

"Evil Queen is out with my army searching for them as we speak," Queenie answered coldly as she took a seat on the King's throne and struck a thoughtful pose. "You seem focused on finding this boy. _Wh_ y? He's barely an adult, surely he can't be _that much_ of a threat to you." She noticed a flicker of something...else...in Morgana's eyes. Pain...hatred... _despair_? What was she thinking? What did she know about the dwarf that no one else did? Queenie was _beyond_ curious now.

"That... _boy._.." Morgana hissed. "Is the most powerful human being to ever walk the face of this _planet_! And, if he learns of his true power, he could destroy us _all_." She closed the book with a snap and, with a wave of her hand, it vanished into thin air. "So, until he's found, none of our plans are safe and we are at risk. The threat is inevitable. He must be eliminated, or Auradon will survive even a full-scale attack."

"So how do you plan to find him?" Queenie questioned, fiddling with something or another in her pocket. "He's got Maleficent's daughter and Evil Queen's daughter there with him. They're powerful as well. If we want the NeoMerlin, we're going to have to get through them first. And, I'll tell you, I know Evie and Mal, they won't give him up without a fight."

Morgana growled. "The fools think they have a chance now that _he's_ with them. But I still hold all the cards in this war." She conjured up a cloud of smoke, sparking with electricity, and showed it to Queenie. It acted like a crystal ball, honing in on a large mansion deep within the forest just outside the city. And there, Queenie could clearly see the dwarf standing with Mal near a lake, talking. And the glowing ring of fire... _The Merlin Circle._ _Mal's_ _already begun to train him. She certainly doesn't waste any time._

"So what's your plan?" the Princess of Hearts questioned.

Morgana scoffed. "There's only one way to defeat an enemy more powerful than yourself. And that is to strike them where it hurts the most. Their _heart_. The dwarf thinks he knows everything, does he? Well," she chuckled. "I think it's time they got a taste of reality. he thinks he has a _perfect_ little life? Ha! Well, what happens when I take away the one thing keeping him from going over the deep end? What if I turn his group, his protection, against each other? Who will he trust then? _No one._ And then, he'll come to _me_ and this war will be over before it even begins."

"You talk like you know him personally," Queenie pointed out. "Like you've met before all of this."

"I have felt the presence of the NeoMerlin for many years now," Morgana answered. "For nine years, I have lived on the run from Beast and his decree for all villains to be captured on that dreaded Isle. For nine years, I have searched for the chosen one that I might kill him before he could ever grow strong enough to defeat me. And he was right under my nose this entire time..." The last part was said in a whisper. Morgana's gaze drifted for a moment before she seemed to realize that she'd quit speaking. "But, no matter, he's still a pathetic weakling. Not _at all_ like Merlin. Disposing of him should be light work. And then our plan can commence. In fact, everything is going right to plan. He is right where we want him. My spy will take care of the rest. A traitor within their group. She will bring the boy to me. And then I will finish him myself and right a wrong from long ago. And then, there will be no one left to stop us and villains will once again rule Auradon." With that, she turned away and dissolved into a cloud of black smoke, exiting out the open window with an atrocious cackle.

 _Okay...that's just...creepy..._ Queenie sighed and turned to leave the room. _A traitor in their midst?_ _How ironic,_ she thought. _For, what you don't realize yet, Morgana, is that there's a traitor in your midst. And that traitor is about to cash in her chips._

_***_

After assisting in clean-up throughout the kitchen, Evie decided to wander out to the back lawn and watch Doug train with Mal. She settled in the shadow of the house, leaned against the cold bricks, and exhaled deeply, noticing Ben as the king made his way back inside. She noticed the worry etched on his face. She wondered what was concerning him. _I'll ask later_. Her eyes reverted to the training session as Mal summoned up the ring of fire and showed Doug where to stand. The circle was something far from ordinary. Instead of normal red and orange flames, these flames were emerald green, a bit like Maleficent's. Evie guessed this was either due to something about Mal's magic or the type of spell she'd cast. She scooted forward to listen in.

"The first thing a sorcerer learns is how to move things with his mind," Mal was saying.

"Telekinesis?" Doug questioned, looking a bit confused.

"For a lack of a better term," Mal said. " _Yes_. But, since this is an unusual situation, and Morgana has already proved herself able of killing without remorse, I think it'd be beneficial to start with a shield spell."

"A...shield spell?"

"Exactly what it sounds like," Mal answered. Then, she looked up, spotted the bluenette sitting on the hill, and grinned, getting an idea. A _truly wicked_ one, if Evie knew her. "E!" she called, waving her down. "Come over here for a minute!"

Evie obeyed, not having the slightest idea what her friend was thinking. She hurried down to join them, and, as she stepped lightly over the retreating flames, a glittering silver sword appeared in her hand. She paused, startled by this. She turned, realizing that Mal had summoned one as well. Evie suddenly had a pretty fair idea about what they were about to do.

"The quickest way for anyone to learn something is in the midst of battle," Mal explained. " So, simple enough. We're going to try and hit you with these swords. _Your_ job is to _not_ _get_ _hit_." She noticed the look Evie was giving her. "And, just because we need you in one piece, I've put a spell around these swords. If they hit you, you'll only feel a small zap. All right?"

Doug nodded, fixing his eyes on Evie who gripped her sword tightly with both hands.

"In that case," Mal's eyes flashed. " _Begin_!"

**Evie:**

**First thing's first, you gotta learn to take a beat.**

Evie took his hands and gently placed them in the correct locations on the sword. Doug, in turn, looked confused and a bit dazed. Evie then backs off with a small smile, twirling her own blade with skill and precision.

**Take a breath, ready yourself, plant your feet.**

Without warning, Mal lunged for him once more. Doug clumsily brought his blade up to match hers, but she swooped and dipped, dislodging his weapon from his grip and knocking it clean away. Evie directed his attention away from Mal and back to her as she took Mal's sword. She gave a small sigh, realizing she was going to have to demonstrate.

**You gotta keep your** **ey-eyes** **on me.**

**Watch now, I'll show you ho-ow,**

**Oh,** **ho-ow** **to turn up, up the heat...**

As she sang, the swords reappeared in their hands and the girls began to move into a strategic pattern around Doug who braced himself warily.

**Mal and Evie:**

**You gotta...lean back, stand tall,**

**Yeah, you gotta give it your all.**

**'Cause if you don't well,**

**Well, then you're gonna fall!**

Evie suddenly lashed out, shoving him back hard. He stumbled and fell onto his back. He stared up at her, wide-eyed. She held out her hand. He took it and she yanked him back to his feet before spinning away as she and Mal began to tighten the circle.

**Evie:**

**So raise your sword, raise it high** ,

**Raise it up toward the sky!**

**'Cause this isn't a picnic, it's a** _**fight!** _

**And there's no stopping to tell wrong from** **right** **!**

In the midst of her rap, she jabbed her blade at him. He blocked it and managed to force her backward. She smiled sweetly and he beamed, blushing slightly. However, he didn't see Mal behind him and she took him down with a strong kick to the back. Doug coughed out dirt, twisting around to stare at the purplette questioningly. Mal shrugged.

**Mal:**

**You gotta be ready for everything, tonight...**

**Mal and Evie:**

**'Cause this ain't no, no fairy tale,**

**Over wrong, must right prevail.**

**So, get ready, brace, prepare,**

**And don't you dare be scared!**

Evie took Doug's arm as he staggered back up and spun him to face her.

**Evie:**

**Listen now, while I show you how.**

She struck out again. He instantly reacted, meeting her blow, simultaneously watching Mal who was sizing him up for another attack. But he seemed just as surprised as the girls.

**Doug:**

**I wanna help, I want to learn, somehow...**

**I wanna be enough...but I don't know how.**

Mal rounds on him and points her sword at his chest. ****

**Mal:**

**Power, skill, magic are within,**

**A secret to dwell when the line's goin' thin.**

**And when the time's run out...**

**Only one can win.**

Evie rolled her eyes, giving Mal the look of ' _You're not helping_!'. Mal shrugged in reply.

**Mal and Evie:**

**It's a secret to a hidden art,**

**A defense against a wicked heart.**

**Everyone's gotta play their part.**

**Against a broken, shattered heart.**

**Evie:**

**'Cause this ain't no, no fairy tale.**

**Over wrong, must right prevail.**

**So, get ready, brace, prepare,**

**And don't you dare be scared!**

She spun around gracefully and caught the edge of his shoulder with her blade, sending a small spark of electricity coursing through his body. He staggered slightly and raised an arm to defend himself. A flicker of green light appeared around his arm before fading back to nothingness. But Evie and Mal had seen it. They shared a look of surprise.

**Mal:**

**The power is there, inside of you.**

**But your heart must be sure and true.**

She gestured for him to attack her. He threw his body into the jab. Mal darted to the side. Doug staggered, and, as he tried to recover, Evie caught him from behind, gifting him with another shock. The weird green light crackled around him again for a split second and then faded.

**All the magic is there, it's just waiting for you.**

**Evie:**

**It's a secret to a hidden art,**

**And you've only reached the start.**

**Show the world what's in your heart.**

**And all wicked plans must apart.**

**Mal and Evie:**

**'Cause this ain't no, no fairy tale,**

**Over wrong, right must prevail.**

Both brought their swords swinging down on him at once. He blocked them both and threw them back. He was panting, exhausted, but the glow began to linger now.

**That's it, ready, brace, and prepare,**

**Now, don't you dare be scared!**

**Evie:**

**This ain't no, no fairy tale.** ****

**Over wrong, we will prevail.**

**Ready, brace now, and prepare.**

**Now, move fast, don't be scared.**

**Oh, oh, oh...**

**'Cause this is** _**our** _ **fairy tale.**

**And this time, we** _**will not** _ **fail.**

Evie twirled around and attacked from the front. Doug ducked and lashed out with his blade. Evie ducked, but not before a slice of her thick hair was cut away. Evie reacted instantly, raising her sword to his throat. In a flash, he'd done the same. Both froze, gazing into one another's eyes, neither moving a muscle.

** Evie ** ** and Doug: **

_**'Cause this is our fairy tale.** _

They continued to stare, both breathing heavily. Sweet poured down Doug's face and Evie was sure she didn't look much better. Her eyes drifted to the faint trace of magic encompassing him. "Is that...is that it?"

"That's it," Mal confirmed. "A shield spell. At least, the beginnings of one. Here. Let me demonstrate." She twirled her sword around, gesturing for Evie to step back. " Doug, don't move." He stared at her, a bit nervous, as she lifted the sword into the air and prepared to hit him with it.

"MAL!"

A scream interrupted her. Everyone turned, shocked to find Carlos and Jay hurrying toward them, dragging a third, limp figure between them. Evie gasped and her hands shot over her mouth and she felt Doug tense beside her. For, even through her battered and bruised form, there was no mistaking the curly-haired red-head standing weakly before them, head lowered in submission, ready to accept her fate. 

It was Queenie.


	30. A 'Mine'r Conundrum

" _Sit down_ ," Mal snapped, shoving Queenie down onto a bar stool. Celia and Dizzy squealed and jumped back from the villain, wide-eyed, empty breakfast trays in hand. Dizzy glanced over at Evie with a concerned and fearful expression.

"Girls, go find Ben," Evie instructed them gently. She ushered them out of the room, but they really didn't need the encouragement, nearly flying out the door of their own accord. She turned when she reached the door, closing and locking it behind her. 

" _Speak_! How did you find us?" Mal demanded, getting right up in Queenie's face. 

"Find out if she knows where Morgana is," Jay suggested.

"A-and Maleficent," Carlos added. "And maybe how they're planning to take over Auradon." Evie and Jay looked at him. " _What_? Just saying..."

"Okay, you guys?" Mal turned toward them in exasperation. "I've _got_ this." She frowned as her gaze fell on Doug who was standing nervously between Carlos and Evie. He had said nothing since Queenie had arrived. She suspected he was still in shock. 

Evie seemed to notice something was off as well. She bumped his shoulder and gave him an encouraging smile. "Hey," she whispered. He looked at her but barely managed more than a half-fake smile.

"You aren't as safe here as you think," Queenie hissed, sitting up straighter. " _Morgana._ She knows about this place. She's coming for you as we speak. And there's no point of trying to run. She'll just hunt you down." She smirked at them, spinning her chair back and forth, glancing between Mal who was leaning on the island, blocking the others from view, and Doug who was cowering in the corner. Evie stepped in front of her boyfriend protectively. 

Mal was not impressed. "So, that's it? You came all this way, let yourself get caught, just to tell us _that_? Yeah, I don't think so. So...care to try again?"

"I have this." With that, Queenie held up a small object. At first, Mal couldn't tell what it was. Then, her eyes widened at the realization. _A Dragon Ring_. "It belonged to your mother," she added, holding it out to Doug. He stared, frowning in confusion. "I guess it belongs to you now."

"Wait, _hold it_!" Mal snapped, stepping between the exchange as Evie cautiously pulled Doug's outstretched hand down with a faint whisper of warning. Mal chuckled slightly, turning to face Queenie. "I don't trust you. And I certainly don't think you're here of your own accord. Morgana sent you, didn't she?" 

"I like to think of it as a little more like a white flag of truce," Queenie objected with a shrug. "I'm here, offering to help you take down Morgana and the other villains."

Mal raised an eyebrow. "Oh, _really_? And why would we believe you? You've done _nothing_ that would make us trust you. Chances are good that you're just a spy, and you're trying to get us to trust you, that way you can report back to Morgana, or, maybe even try to kill Doug _yourself_!"

"What do you want in return?" Carlos questioned, stepping into the light now. He noticed the looks from Evie and Mal but went on anyway. "If you help us save Auradon, what do you want from us?"

"I want to say here," Queenie answered. "In Auradon. Like Uma, Harry, and Gil. I just want a chance like the rest of you."

"But, Queenie, the barrier is down," Evie pointed out. "You could have come at any time! Why do all of _thi_ s just for _that_?"

"The barrier may be down, but that does not mean we're welcome," Queenie fired back. "Some of us want to come to Auradon Prep, to have a chance. Like the other VKs you brought over. Don't the rest of us deserve that opportunity?" She watched Evie pleadingly. Mal didn't trust her, even as Evie seemed to melt a little. It was a well-known fact that Evie was Ben's advisor. If she could wear the girl down, then maybe she could sweet-talk her way into Auradon.

"Evie, be careful," Mal hissed. "Remember what happened before? She killed you and tried to do the same to Doug! I don't think we can trust her."

Evie hesitated. Her eyes flashed with pure confusion. And then, leaning forward, she took the Dragon Ring from Queenie and studied it. Nothing was said for a moment.

Mal frowned. "Earth to Evie."

She snapped out of her trance-like state. "Huh? _What_? Oh...seems all right to me." She handed it off to Doug who took it hesitantly. "So, what is it? And if it belonged to Doug's mother, how do _you_ have it?"

"I did a bit of research," Queenie answered , waving off Evie 's accusing tone. "Turns out his mother is this super-powerful sorceress from the Isle. The ring? She gave it to me. It's a lot like Merlin's. But not exactly the same."

"What are you saying?" Doug questioned, speaking up for the first time. "Are....you saying...my mother's _alive_?"

"Alive and kicking," Queenie replied with a tight smirk.

All color drained from the dwarf's face. Evie noticed this and moved to catch him in case he suddenly fainted. "What are you talking about?" the bluenette demanded angrily, trying to coax Doug into a seat before he fell over. 

Queenie shrugged. "I mean, it's not like it's a big secret. _Everyone_ on the Isle knows she had a hero's kid." 

" _I_ didn't know that." Evie pointed at herself. "How? As far as I knew, no villains on the Isle...other than my mother...had any kids with an heroes."

"Well, then, how is _he_ here?" Queenie gestured toward Doug with an eye roll. "Seriously, _think about it_! He's the _NeoMerlin!_ His coming was foretold hundreds of years ago. And that ring just furthers the proof. Now, is that enough to show you I come in peace?"

"Not quite," Mal snapped. "Tell us who his mother is."

Now Queenie looked truly shocked. "You mean _you don't know_? _How_? I mean, it's so obvious!" She looked Doug up and down, scowling at his favorite lime green shirt and white everything else. He no longer looked like a villain, and it was as clear as day.

"Not really," Jay pointed out.

"So _spill_ ," Carlos added. 

_"Please_ ," Evie finished, clinging desperately to Doug's arm. 

Queenie hesitated.

"You want us to trust you?" Mal snapped at the red-head. "Well, this is the way."

Queenie scowled at her. " _Fine_ ," she growled through gritted teeth. "If _that's_ how you want to play this, so be it. His mother is--"

She was interrupted by a scream from Ben as he sprinted down the hall and broke through the door. " _MORGANA_!" he bellowed, ushering the kids in and shoving them underneath a table for protection. "EVERYBODY GET _DOWN_!"

All around her, Mal felt the others obey. Thinking on instinct, she seized Queenie by the shirt collar and threw her to the floor before diving down next to her. She didn't know what was happening, but she had heard the sorceress's name, meaning that whatever was about to follow would most likely be loud, dramatic, and painful. 

She was right.

One minute, everything was quiet. The next, there was a hiss like a dragon about to take a breath...and the entire room went up in flames. Mal felt the heat of the explosion and covered her head with her arms and squeezed her eyes shut. Even through her eyelids, she saw the flash of white and the screams as everything erupted into chaos. The force of the impact sent her flying across the room where she smashed into a wall and fell painfully to the ground.

And then, everything stopped.

She heard Ben shrieking her name. Ears still ringing, she slowly looked up, gasping at what she found. The entire room had been obliterated. In fact, the _entire house_ had been reduced to nothing more than ruins. Coughing, she pushed sheet rock off of her and slowly pulled herself into a crawling position. "Ben?" she groaned. "Evie? Jay? Carlos? Kids?" 

A groan emitted from underneath a pile of rocks and debris. Carlos' fluffy white hair came into view, closely followed by the rest of him. " _Here_ ," he coughed. "Jay," he went on. "You okay, bro?" He glanced over toward the island. Jay popped up from behind him, grime all over his hair. He shook it out with a whoop.

"Mal!" Ben called, standing up across the room. 

"Ben!" Mal cried. "You're all right! Wait, where are the kids? Dizzy? Celia? Twins?"

"Right here," Queenie's voice was weak. Her hand appeared a little ways away and she stood up slowly, revealing the four VKs she'd lunged to protect. "How's that?" she asked Mal with a smirk. "Believe me now?"

Although Mal detested it, she knew Queenie could have left the kids unprotected. But she had shielded them selflessly. And, to Mal, that was a sign that she _might_ be telling the truth. "For now," she confessed. "But I'm still going to be keeping a close eye on you."

Queenie nodded solemnly, but Mal had already turned away and started searching for the only two teens who hadn't responded. _"Evie! Doug!"_

***  
When Mal had yelled their names, Doug had been moments away from fainting from exhaustion. In fact, the only reason he hadn't was the overwhelming curiosity that was eating away at him as the bright blue barrier shielded from the blast and Evie clung to him in a desperate hug, just in case it had been their last. The last thing he remembered was the fiery explosion and the sheer panic that had erupted inside of him. He had acted without thinking, pulling Evie close, and closing his eyes tightly. _I love you!_ He had screamed silently to Evie, unconsciously knowing she couldn't hear his thoughts.

The shield appeared out nowhere, seconds before the blast would have killed them both. Doug didn't know what he's done, or truly, if he'd even been the one to do it. All he knew was that they were safe. Well, maybe _safe_ was the wrong word. _Alive._ They were alive.

 _What_ was _that?_

Slowly, grimacing in pain, he sat up. Evil hadn't seemed to realize the threat was gone and was still holding on tightly. His eyes widened as he saw the shimmering dome arched over their heads, flickering, dancing as though containing a life of its own. "Whoa, _Evie_!"

Slowly, she glanced up, her eyes filled with terror and tears. "What?" her voice cracked terribly. 

"Look!" He pointed.

She wiped her tears away quickly, gasping at the dome. "Did you--"

"I don't know. I think...I think it was you."

" _Me_?" She looked startled. "But... _you're_ the one with magic!"

"So do you," he reminded her gently. "And my shield isn't nearly _this_ strong. And it's green. Not blue." Then, just to make his point, he focused on removing the barrier. Nothing happened. He looked pointedly at her. 

Evie sighed. _"Fine_." She waved a hand and the dome flickered into non-existence. There was a crash as debris and rubble crumbled around them and they both flinched. 

"Are you all right?" he asked her. 

She nodded. "I'm okay." She sat up and looked around, confused. "Uh...Doug?"

"Yeah?"

"Where is everybody?" 

He looked around now. She was right. In an instant, he realized two things. One; his home was gone...reduced to nothing but smithereens. Two: the others were no where to be seen. Instantly, his head began to hurt and he gasped, staggering back. 

_I've seen this before! The house...the fire..._ _the_ vision _._

_All that's left is..._

His thoughts were cut off by a ferocious roar and he whipped around in horror, seeing the huge purple dragon rising from the debris. "Mal!" he realized, grabbing Evie's arm and spinning to her face him. _It's happening! Everything I saw...it's all coming true..._

"Mal?" Evie repeated. Then, her eyes lit up. "MAL!" she screamed, waving her arms wildly in the air. Doug breathed a sigh of relief as Mal turned at Evie's voice and let out a growl of satisfaction, starting toward them.

Suddenly, a beam of green light rocketed from the nearby trees, slamming into Mal's side. The dragon queen howled and tumbled towards the earth. "MAL!"Evie shrieked, starting to run to her friend. Seeing the danger, Doug quickly grabbed her and held her back. "LET GO!" Evie bellowed at him.

"Evie! _Wait_!" Doug pleaded, wincing as she hit his arms. " _Please_! Something doesn't feel right!"

"Well, well," came the chilling voice from the treeline right behind them. The two teens twirled around and Doug felt Evie move in front of him protectively and they both stared at Morgana in horror. "That was _so_ much easier than I'd anticipated. _Get out of my way, girl_." She flicked a hand and Evie screamed as she was knocked forcibly away by an unseen force.

"EVIE!" Doug yelled, starting to move toward her. 

Morgana disappeared into thin air, reappearing behind him before he could react, and stuck him hard in the back with her staff. A flash of green electricity shot through him and, with a scream of anguish, Doug tumbled onto the grass. Morgana moved swiftly, raising a hand enveloped in a green fire. Doug lay there, gasping in pain. " _Now._ " she hissed, kicking away his sword as he clumsily grabbed for it, and placing her foot on his chest. "I'll kill you. Just as I killed your mother." She twisted her hand, and Doug shrieked as the pain ripped through his body and he felt his breath slipping away.

"DOUG!" Evie screamed. The boy gasped, struggling to breathe. His vision blurred. Weakly, he writhed, trying to free himself to no avail. He reached for his sword, groaning, realizing it was out of his grasp. 

Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw the light and stared as two flaming balls of fire smashed into Morgana's side and the witch screamed, lurching back, dissipating into smoke for a split second. Doug slid across the ground, and then scrambled to his feet, wheezing. He turned to see Evie standing there, hands glowing dangerously with magic.

" _Run_!" she screamed, hurrying over, grabbing his hand, and taking off like a flash. 

Doug didn't argue. He raced after her, running faster than he'd ever done before. Already, he could feel Morgana's petrifying gaze as she began to reform behind them. _How did she find us so quickly? How did she know...how..._ "What about the others?" he yelled.

"No time!" Evie retorted over Morgana's furious scream. "Mal will be fine! She'll find the others! We need somewhere to hide! Cover of some kind!"

"The mines!" Doug gasped. 

She glanced back at him in a panic as a nearby tree erupted into flames. "WHAT?"

"This way!" With that, Doug took the lead, dragging her toward a small river. The forest pressed in on them from every side as the air grew heavier and darker by the moment and thunder rolled in the heavens. He ignored this as the two raced across an old fallen tree over a large ravine, and towards a series of cliffs and caverns in the distance. 

Another spell blasted by their head. Evie shrieked and ducked. Doug turned sharply away and kept running. They neared the mines. Doug skidded to a halt before the entrance and ushered Evie inside hastily. "Go, go, go!" he hissed. They ducked and entered the mine. Morgana was not very far behind them now.

The inside of the mines was pitch black. Doug once more took the lead, pushing all of his anxiety to the back of his mind and taking a deep breath. "Evie?" 

"Here."

"Stay close. It's hard to see down here."

"Yeah...right... _ow_!" 

" _What_?"

"I fell over something! Doug, your mine doesn't like me!"

Doug groaned. "Okay, come over here." He felt along the wall, noting the temperature in the cavern seemed to drop tremendously with every step. "You there?" Evie gave a small whisper of confirmation. "All right. My turn to teach you. Put your hands on the wall."

There was silence. And then. "Like this?"

"I can't really see you," Doug pointed out. "But probably. Now, use what you can feel to work your way down the cavern toward my voice."

A moment passed. A lot of stumbling followed. Doug felt her brush up against his side. "Hi," she said. 

"Hey," he answered. "Come on," he continued, beginning to work his way further into the caverns. "There are some lanterns up ahead."

"Doug...it's so _cold_..."

 _Feels fine to me._ Doug shrugged it off as just her overactive nerves. "Are you still there?" he called over his shoulder.

"Doug..." 

He felt the room expand around him and knew they had reached the main shaft. Releasing the wall and relying on his memory alone, he clumsily found his way over to an old mine-cart and pulled out two oil lamps, twisting them on and shining them around the cavern. In the eerie orange light, he spotted Evie stumbling in, looking irritable, tired, and in pain. But she still tried to hide them when their eyes met. 

"This way," he told her, pointing down a random passageway. He felt a strong pull in that direction, though he didn't know why. Evie nodded slowly and followed him as he started off. 

The silence was deafening as they walked quietly through the halls. As they went, Doug began to get the sense that he'd been here before. But...no...it wasn't possible. He had never been able to get this far before without the claustrophobia forcing his retreat. "Evie?" he asked in a hoarse whisper.

"Right...behind you..."

Something about her voice sounded off. Doug paused and held up the lamp, turning to face her. "Evie, you okay?"

She looked at him weakly, grimacing. "Yes, I'm just fine." 

Doug frowned. "Okay..." He turned and prepared to start off again. 

That was when he felt the sharp jab of a blade in his back. 

He screamed, feeling his body hit the stone floor and the lamp shatter. As the light dimmed and the pain exploded in his nerves, he heard Evie step daintily over towards him. He acted without thinking. Running on pure terror and adrenaline, he drug himself around a bend, leaning up against a wall, breathing heavily as Evie prowled closer and closer. _What is she_ doing _?_

But, even as he asked, he knew the answer. She'd been spelled. But how? He'd been with her the whole time! _The Dragon Ring..._ the realization crashed over him. _Queenie_. It had all been a trap. And he'd fallen right into it. 

His first vision had come true.

Evie was out to kill him. 


	31. Wicked Dawn/Part 1

" _Dooouuuggg_ ," sang Evie as she stalked down the corridor toward his hiding spot. "Wheeerrreee areee yooouuuu? Come out of hiding, you little coward, and let's _talk!_ "

Doug had his eyes squeezed shut in pain as he felt frantically for something to stop the bleeding. His back was on fire and he could feel the blood trickling between his fingers. He knew he had only moments before Evie found him and he'd have no way of warding her off. Not even mentioning Morgana who had to have almost caught up by now. How was he supposed to stop _two_ villains _alone_? _Where are the others when I need them?_

 _"_ You thought I _loved_ you?" Evie hissed in a voice very unlike her. " _Me_. The daughter of Evil Queen. In love with a _pathetic dwar_ f like _you?"_ She laughed wickedly. There was a flash of orange and a large chunk of rock near his head was blown away. "Who could love _you_? You're not rich, or handsome, _or_ a prince! You are a _nobody_. Always have been. Always will be."

Doug held his breath, grimacing as the clack of Evie's boots drew nearer and nearer. He scanned the darkness surrounding him, hoping desperately to find something to use a weapon. _Nothing! There has to be something! There has to be!_ His mind was spinning, trying to come up with a plan of attack. But all he could think were the words being carved into his brain. _Pathetic. Useless. Nobody._ "You're not the real Evie!" he yelled back into the darkness. "The _real_ Evie loves me! And I love her! She'd never say the things you are!"

Another blast. Inches away now. This was followed by a merciless laugh. Doug slid back, gasping with every movement. He had to escape. Escape or fight. And the second option was out of the question entirely. He could go further into the mines. Would that help? His screaming claustrophobic brain said no. His instincts said yes. He had to do something. And _fast_. Evie was almost to him.

"I never gave a grain of salt about you," Evie went on in the same tone. "You were just an easy way to hide my true self. Oh, let Mal and the others be good if they want. Evil is the _only_ way to win. I thought you'd know that by now. Heroism has no place in this world, neither do insignificant dwarfs who want to play _make_ - _believe_!" She reached his corner at last and, as though knowing his location the entire time, she whipped around and fired another orange ball of magic.

Doug had no time to dodge. The magic struck him in the chest and he went tumbling across the cold stone floor. His nerves felt like fire but still, he struggled to stand up an face down the taller girl. "Evie," he gasped, holding out a shaking but defensive hand. "Please... _please_..."

Evie cackled as she raised a glowing hand to her face thoughtfully. "Hmmm, now _wh_ y does that sound _familiar_? Oh!" she snapped her fingers. "I _know_! My _mother_ when _your_ _father_ chased her over that _cliff_! Dopey didn't give my mother any mercy. Why should _I_ show any to _you_?"

"Because you're my true love," Doug breathed softly. Evie hadn't moved to attack him yet. That was good. A little bit of an improvement. But Evie was far from convinced. She looked...amused...more than anything else. "Because you love Auradon. You don't want to destroy it. And our friends. If you rule Auradon, what will happen to the others?"

Something flickered in Evie's expressionless eyes. Was he _actually_ getting through to her? "Evie?" he whispered, pulling himself into a sitting position and gazing into her eyes hopefully. "Evie, are you in there? _Evie_?"

Evie blinked and lurched back with a cry of agony. Doug moved quickly to catch her. "Evie!"

She groaned, slowly opening her eyes and looking up at him. "Do...ug?"

He smiled in relief. "Evie." He pulled her into a tight hug. " I thought I'd lost you...that Morgana's magic was too strong. But I should have known better. There is too much good in you to let a villain make you do anything."

Evie took a short, raspy breath. "Doug..."

"Yes, Evie?"

"I'm not good."

He never saw it coming. One minute he was holding her close, the next, he was blown backward by a tremendous eruption of power. His head collided with the ceiling and the world started to swirl into darkness before his body even hit the floor. His muscles were reacting in slow motion as he struggled to stand back up. _What is she doing? Is_ _Morgana_ _controlling her? Is this a spell?_

_Or is she right and this just her true self surfacing after all this time?_

There was a clatter as Evie drew her sword and charged at him. Thinking fast, he brought a hand up and concentrated on summoning his magic. A faint green shield flickered to life around his arm. The sword came swinging down on his wrist and, instead of dismembering him, it simply bounced off of his arm as though hitting metal.

" _What_?" Evie screamed, whipping the sword around once more. Doug rolled to the side and held up his arm again, countering the attack. "You _fool_! You've barely scratched the surface of your powers! You think a few of Merlin's little magic tricks can protect you? I've had _years_ of practice."

"Morgana..." Doug breathed. _She didn't turn! It's Morgana! She's controlling her!_

Evie spread her arms dramatically. " _Of course_! Who else? You see, I thought Queenie might try to betray me. So, I led her to the Dragon Ring. And she brought it to you. Funny how that worked out, huh? Too bad the girl had to be so grabby. Oh well, I _still_ win. And, this way, I can make sure there are no mistakes!" She brought the sword swinging down again.

Doug yelled, dropping to one knee and throwing his arms over his head quickly. He felt his magic shaking. He hadn't learned how to hold on to his powers for long periods of time. The shield spell was all he knew...and even that wouldn't protect him forever. The blade crashed against his shield and he felt the jar rush through his entire body as he was driven down into his other knee, the strength behind the blow staggering. This wasn't Evie's strength. She was strong...but _nothing_ like this. He wasn't strong enough to defeat her, not like this. There was only one way he could get out of this alive...and that was the spelled bluenette before him.

"Evie!" he gasped. "Evie, _please_! If you're in there somewhere, _fight_ _her_! I can't do this on my own!"

The weight of the sword suddenly lessened. Doug chanced a glance up and stared at what he saw. Evie fell back with a grunt, nearly collapsing, her eyes wide and full of fear. "Doug..." she gasped as she grabbed a crevice to sturdy herself. "Help...me..."  
She opened her mouth to say more but Morgana seemed to take control of her once more. A chilling laugh flooded the caverns, and black smoke filed in through the corridors. Doug scrambled backwards in terror, knowing what was about to follow.

Sure enough, the red-headed witch appeared from the smoke, her eyes flashing dangerously as she sized up Doug who was busy getting to his feet and preparing to run for it. " _Not_ _so_ _fast_ ," she hissed, holding out a hand. The earth have a mighty shake and boulders tumbled down into the corridor, filling in Doug's escape route and leaving him trapped with the two villains who were both intent on ending him. "Hello, NeoMerlin."

"Hi," Doug whispered, his gaze darting around frantically for some way to escape, even though his mind was screaming that there was no way out. "Look," he began desperately . "Isn't there a way we could...talk about this? I'm not really big on fighting. Ask _anyone_. More of a words kinda guy, you know?"

Morgana stared at him dangerously. She was clearly not interested in anything he had to say. But he had to do something, didn't he? He couldn't just let Evie remain Morgana's prisoner forever. So, he did something incredibly stupid, something Evie would probably kill him for.

"Let Evie go," he demanded, pointing at the bluenette. "Let her go...and take me instead." He heard his own trembling voice and felt his knees knocking as he slowly looked over his lenses at the witch. "It's me you want, isn't it? Me and my powers?" He held up the Dragon Ring and handed it to a motionless Evie. "This is the only key I have to my past," he told her. " _Please_. When you are normal again, find my mother. Tell her that I still love her."

Morgana sneered. "Very well. The girl is yours." She waved a ghostly hand before Evie's face. The girl gasped and blinked, the life coming back to her eyes.

" Doug... " she coughed. "What have you _done_?"

He only looked at her sadly. "What I had to. The world needs you, Evie. You can make a difference out there, for so many people. But I'm not like you. I'm only the dopey sidekick who gets in the way."

" No... " Evie breathed, shaking her head, horrified. "Doug, _no_..." She tried to step toward him but Morgana stopped her.

"A deal is a deal," she hissed. "A soul for a soul." Her eyes were firmly fixed on Doug 's lowered gaze and the dark magic began to pulse around her.

Doug cried out as the pain raged through his brain and he stumbled, clutching his head and falling to the ground. Morgana's cruel laugh flooded through his mind as he hit the floor. Dark thoughts echoed in his heart and the last thing he heard was Evie's frantic screams.

Then, the darkness consumed him and he surrendered to the evil.

***  
"Is everybody okay?" Mal roared as the others appeared, one by one, from the rubble. Ben and Jay were supporting a stunned Carlos and Queenie was shielding the younger VKs. Mal dropped to the ground, ignoring the pain in her side from where the spell had hit as she quickly transformed back and ran to join the others. Squeaky and Squirmy immediately latched on to her, while Celia pretended not to care, and Dizzy began searching frantically.

"Evie? Where's Evie?"

The others looked around at this. "Evie?" Carlos called warily.

" _Evie_! " Ben roared.

"Guys, she's out there somewhere!" Carlos exclaimed. "And Doug's missing too! We have to go after them! They might need our help!" He immediately set off toward the trees.

"Carlos! _Wait_!" Jay suddenly grabbed Carlos' arm. "I see someone...it's Evie!"

"What?" Mal wheeled around, following his gaze. Sure enough, there was the girl, running at them at a breakneck pace . By her tear-stained face, it was evident something was wrong. And then, Mal realized, Doug wasn't with her. _Oh no._

"Evie!" everyone cried, running to meet her. Dizzy was the first to reach her and threw her arms around Evil Queen's daughter.

"Hey, Diz," Evie whispered, her voice breaking.

"Evie, what happened? Where's Doug?" Mal demanded.

Her best friend could hardly contain her tears as she held up her hand. On it was Doug's Dragon Ring. "He sacrificed himself," she choked out. " Morgana spelled me. Doug traded himself to save me."

"Evie, I'm glad you're okay, of course," Ben spoke up. He glanced toward Mal. " But if Morgana has Doug... "

"Then she also has his powers and we could be looking at a disaster of Armageddon proportions," Mal finished.

Even as she spoke, the darkened skies grew even blacker as the distant thunder grew louder. Mal sighed. "Come on," she told the others, beginning to pick her way out of the debris and rubble. "Let's go."

" What's the plan?" Carlos questioned as he raced to catch up.

"Well, there are only two places nearby Morgana could take Doug. She'll need to perform a spell before she gets his magic. She needs a big open area...a field or a meadow...something like that."

" Well, there's always the courtyard at Ben's," Jay suggested.  
  
"No...I don't think so. Somewhere bigger. Morgana always was a bit of a show off."

"Fairy Meadow, " Ben said. "It's the biggest place around."

Mal nodded. "All right. That's gotta be it. Let's get moving, everyone.We have a dwarf to save."


	32. Wicked Dawn/Part 2

"Evie," Mal hissed as the group ducked to saftey behind a cluster of trees and bushes. "Queenie, stay back with the kids. Ben, Jay, Carlos, come with me. We need a plan." Tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear, Mal began to creep across the crunchy leaves, making the least amount of noise possible.

"I have a plan," Evie grumbled. "I'm going to get Doug back."

"Okay, one, that's not a plan," Mal pointed out. "Two, how? You'd be up against Morgana, your mother, and Doug. Trust me. Stay here. It will be better that way. Jay? Ben? Carlos? Come on."

Evie watched silently as her friend led the boys away. She felt the younger VKs' eyes on her and she took a deep breath, putting on a reassuring face. "They'll be all right," she told them, opening her arms to Dizzy as the girl leaned up against her worriedly.

"Of course they will," Dizzy replied quietly.

Evie glanced over at Celia who was leaning against a tree, fiddling with her magic cards. "Hey," she said. "Your cards showing you anything helpful?"

Celia looked up. "Define 'helpful'."

Evie sighed. "Something that can tell us how to save Doug?"

Celia frowned. "You really don't know how the cards work, do you?" When Evie gave no response, Celia rolled her eyes. "They don't show the solutions to problems. They just show parts of one's future and past. Happiness, darkness, fear, betrayal..." she trailed off here.

"Is that what you see?" Evie questioned, sitting up and gently leaning a sound-asleep Dizzy against a tree. "Who's future? Mine?"

Celia shook her head. "No..." She glanced toward the clearing. "It's...someone else...and their future...it keeps changing."

"Doug?" Evie barked, coming over to kneel down beside her, stepping cautiously around Squeaky and Squirmy who were also asleep.

"I thought you might ask that," Celia confessed. "But no, it's not him. It's..."

"Who?"

"Let's just say, even villains don't often start out that way." Celia refused to say more and just peered through the shrubbery at the scene unfolding. Evie did the same. She spotted Mal and Jay flanking in from the left, Ben and Carlos from the right. But her eyes kept coming back to the center. Both Morgana and Evil Queen stood there, the latter keeping watch for trouble while the former moved around a ring of burning fire. Doug lay unconscious in the center. He did not seem to be aware of anything...certainly not that Morgana was only moments from killing him and seizing his powers. He was more still than death and was positioned like an offering to whatever evil Morgana was conjuring.

Hurry, Mal, Evie thought pleadingly. I don't know how much longer he can hold on.

Mal seemed to hear her desperate prayer. "NOW!" the purplette bellowed, thrusting a fist into the air. Immediately, the villains whipped around, but it was far too late. The VKs had already made their move, and it took the villains only moments to recognize that they were greatly outnumbered. Still, they fought back. Evil Queen moved to challenge Mal, Jay, and Ben simultaneously, while Carlos crept toward the ring of fire where Morgana was speeding up her spell.

Be careful! Evie mentally warned Carlos.

Evil Queen held up the fight, skillfully taking on all three teens...and overpowering them, sending all three tumbling to the ground.

Evie watched all of this in horror. "Morgana's given her some of her powers!" she hissed to Queenie. "She's stronger than ever. They don't stand a chance!" She hastily got to her feet and reached for her sword.

"Wait!" Queenie protested. "Where are you going?"

"They need my help," Evie answered sharply. " I can match my mother's magic. I'm the only one who can stop her. Queenie, stay here and watch the others. I'm counting on you." With that, she drew her sword and leaped over the foliage and into the clearing.

"But--" Queenie began. It was no use. Evie was already gone. The redhead sighed and sat down against a tree. "Hey, voodoo girl. Do you think you could do me?"

"Sure!" Celia skipped over and fanned out the deck of cards before the Princess of Heart's face. The two girls laughed quietly and the fight faded into the background.

Meanwhile...

"Ben! Duck!" Mal called out the warning as Evil Queen aimed to separate his head from his shoulders. The king dodged quickly and Evie jumped in to match the blow.

"Mal, go help Doug!" Evie snapped as she shoved back, hard, pushing Evil Queen away from her and bracing herself for another blow. On her right, Jay twirled his sword, preparing to strike. Ben stood, breathless, behind Evie. It was four to one, but the Evil Queen was still fighting admirably, though she was obviously beginning to weaken.

"But Carlos--"

"Carlos can't take on Morgana by himself!" Evie snapped furiously as she swung her blade up to parry another attack. "I've got this! Seriously, go!"

Mal didn't argue. Dropping her stance, she turned and took off running toward the flames. Evie, then, was left to face her mother, with Jay and Ben flanking her.

"Hello, my little evilette," Evil Queen whispered, ignoring the boys as they began to close in.

"Don't call me that!" Evie spat. "I am nothing like you! You threaten Auradon, kidnap by boyfriend, nearly kill me and all of my friends! Mother! What has happened to you? Killing...destroying things...this isn't who you are!"

"You know nothing about what I went through!" Evil Queen spat, deflecting a blow from Ben and knocking back Jay. " I used to be fairest in the land! I was loved! I was respected! And then that, that girl, a mere child, took it all away from me!"

"So what?" Evie screamed. "All this is what? Revenge? Mother! It was thirty-five years ago! Please! Don't do this! Don't let Morgana kill Doug! I know you aren't evil inside. This isn't you and you have a chance to be a real hero...to make people love you again!" Her eyes drifted away and around her mother toward Mal and Carlos who were struggling to find a way past the fire. Every time they neared, it seemed to come alive, lashing out and knocking them back away. Meanwhile, Morgana continued her spell, not seeming to realize that a battle was raging around her. Her mind was on the curse and nothing more.

"Mother!" Evie pleaded as her gaze fell on Doug who was inching closer to death by the moment. She couldn't even tell if he was breathing anymore. "Think about this! If you help us, you can have everything back that was taken from you! I'll talk to Ben! He'll help you! But please, please, don't let Doug die!"

"Evie?" Jay questioned, shooting her a nervous glance as he continued to hold his sword out threateningly. "What should we do?"

She didn't look at him.

"Jay, keep your sword ready," Ben warned. Then, he leaned over Evie's shoulder. "Hey," he whispered in her ear. " I know this is your mother and this is an extremely difficult situation, but, we can't trust her not to back stab us as soon as she's free. "

Quite literally, Evie couldn't help but think. But she knew Ben was right. Doug's life was quite literally hanging in the balance, and, with a glance at Morgana (whose body was shining radiantly), it was pretty clear that his time was almost up. "All right," she sighed when Evil Queen gave no answer. "You guys take her back to Queenie and the others. I'll try to find a way through those flames." She felt Evil Queen's gaze on her but it no longer mattered. Her mother had had her chance. She hadn't taken it. Evie couldn't wait around any longer.

She turned and took off running toward the ring of fire, catching up to Carlos and Mal as they were roughly knocked away once more.

"We can't get through it!" Carlos shouted. "The magic's too powerful! Even Mal can't conjure up a spell to counter it!" He held a hand up in front of his face to shield his eyes from the flames as they lashed out dangerously.

Evie felt his panic in her own heart. Doug. She had to get through the flames. But how? If Mal wasn't powerful enough, then how could she possibly have a chance? And then it hit her. There was only one thing more magical than Mal...and that was the Dragonstone. "The stone!" she gasped, falling into Mal desperately. "Mal! I need the Dragonstone!"

The purplette's eyes widened as she realized Evie's plan. "Yes! Yes, of course! Here!" She fumbled around in her pockets for a second before drawing the stone from her pocket and handing it to Evie forcibly. "Go!" she yelled. Evie didn't wait. She turned and, without a second of hesitation, threw herself forward into the flames.

She landed neatly on the other side, the fire not responding to her at all. She didn't have time to revel in this victory, however, as her eyes fell on Doug who was lying a few feet away. He was so still...Evie could barely hold back the tears of fear that she might already be too late.

"DOUG!" she screamed.

At this, Morgana finally seemed to realize that something was awry. Her eyes snapped open and she twisted around, but Evie was already almost to the dwarf. Tears stinging her eyes, the bluenette fell to her knees beside her true love, taking his hand and checking frantically for a pulse. It was there, but it was so incredibly weak...and was progressively slowing. Morgana's spell was almost complete.

"Doug..." Evie whispered gently, brushing his cheek tenderly and squeezing his hand tighter. "I'm here. Doug, please, fight it. I know you can. I've seen you do so many incredible things. I need you to fight now, for us. Doug, you are the NeoMerlin. Your Auradon's hero...and mine."

"Oh how pathetic," Morgana hissed. Evie looked up and she was struck with a powerful surge of electricity that sent her flying backward onto the grass near the edge of the flames, wheezing. "You can't save him! You're the reason he's here in the first place!" She cackled. It was a wicked sound.

Evie staggered back to her feet defiantly. She could feel the heat in her palms as her magic began to churn. She had had just about enough of the sorceress and all of her evil tricks and lies. "Get away from him," she spat, summoning her own magic and launching it at the witch. Morgana didn't even glance over as the spell passed right through her and disappeared into the forest. "I SAID GET AWAY!" She ran at the sorceress and punched at her head as hard as she could. Morgana stepped back and Evie slugged thin air.

The red-headed witch laughed, stepping behind Evie and striking her hard in the back. The bluenette gasped and rolled into the grass next to Doug.

"Your resistance is weak," Morgana spat. "The boy could never have saved you. Merlin was a fool to try and establish peace between villains and heroes. In the end, evil always wins." She raised her weapon high above her head and prepared to bring it swinging down on Evie.

Evie covered her head with her arms, bracing for the end.

Suddenly, she felt movement beside her. Through her closed eyelids, she perceived a flash of blue light, followed by Morgana's petrified scream. Silence fell over the clearing. And then Evie could hear a weak voice whisper in her ear.

"Evie. You can look up now."

Doug! Evie's head shot up in shock, nearly bonking Doug's as he leaned over to help her up. He took her hand. She could feel him quivering still. But the spell...the spell was broken. And Morgana? Evie glanced once around the clearing. The sorceress was gone. "What...Doug...?" Evie stammered in confusion.

"That's me." He gave her a goofy grin. "Where you expecting someone else? "

Evie gasped and elbowed him in the ribs. "You scared me!" she scolded him as he fell back, wheezing and laughing. "Don't do that! Do you have any idea how frightened I was? I thought I'd lost you!"

Doug struggled back into a sitting position. He took a deep breath and stared firmly into her eyes. "Evie, I'm here. I'm never going to leave you. All right?"

Evie pulled him in for a tight hug. He grunted but quickly returned it. They kept hugging, even as the flames trickled away into nonexistence and the others surrounded them, cheering, whooping, and patting Doug on the back.

"Here," Ben spoke up suddenly, leaning over and handing Doug Fairy Godmother's wand. Evie looked at him questioningly, wondering how he'd got his hands on that. He shrugged in response. "I think you should have the honors. Bring down the barrier. Again."

The group laughed as Doug straightened up and pointed the wand at the barrier. There was a rumble on the earth and a crash of thunder as the barrier exploded into nothingness and the bright sunlight could flood through the trees once more.

Evie laid her head on his shoulder and Mal did the same to Ben as the group stared up, satisfied, to receive the warmth and glow once more.

But there was still one more thing that bothered Evie. "Doug," she spoke up suddenly, twisting to face the dwarf who glanced back at her, a small, but confused smile on his lips.

"Yes?"

"You're the NeoMerlin."

He blinked, confused. "Yeah...? I know...?"

"But how? I mean, your dad is Dopey right?"

Doug nodded. "Without a doubt. Evie? What are you getting at?"

"But, if Dopey is your father, and you're the NeoMerlin..." Evie trailed off, not sure how best to ask the question.

"Your mother must have been a villain," Jay finished for her. He glanced at her. "I mean, that was what you were trying to say, wasn't it?"

Evie nodded.

Doug sighed heavily. "I don't know. All my life, I was told my mother had died in a car accident. I never questioned it. But now, now I don't know what to believe. Yeah, I guess it's possible. She may be a villain. But it doesn't really matter now, does it? She wasn't a part of my life. I'm just fine not knowing who she is."

"Speaking of super evil ladies," Carlos piped up. " I know Evie's mom is back there." He jabbed a thumb over his shoulder. "But where is Morgana?"

Doug and Evie looked at one another and it was Evie who spoke. "Gone. Gone forever. It's all over. Auradon is safe."

And, with those words, the world seemed to get just a little brighter.


	33. Epilogue: The End is Only the Beginning

" _Carlos_! _Come_ _on_! You're going to be late to your own birthday party!" Dude howled as he raced across the meadow toward the castle, his master in hot pursuit.

"I'm...coming..." Carlos gasped.

The two reached the doors and threw them open a moment later. There, they found Jane waiting for them impatiently, her trusty clipboard in hand. "Hi..." she stammered, wide-eyed, clearly terrified.

Her appearance took Carlos' breath away. "Hiiiii," he answered, unable to tear his eyes off of her.

Dude, who had plopped down between them, wagged his tail and panted. " _Awkward_!"

Carlos turned toward him with a deadly glare. " _Dude_! _Cool_ _it_!"

Jane laughed nervously and Carlos' gaze snapped back toward her. "Well, shall we go meet the others?" the fairy questioned. Carlos nodded, still stunned, and held out his arm.

Jane took it and, together with Dude, the three of them set off.

***  
Evie glanced out from the party and the laughter, spotting him standing alone on the ridge. Again. She sighed. "Mal!" she called. She handed off her tray of fruit punch to the purple-haired girl. "Thanks," she told her, not taking her eyes off of Doug. "I won't be long."

Mal frowned but said nothing as Evie opened the back door and headed out into the cool autumn breeze.

"Hey," Evie whispered as she reached his side and followed his gaze toward the distant mountains. "What's going on? What are you thinking about?"

Doug exhaled before answering. "My mother," he replied without looking at her. "I...lied...before...when I said that I didn't care. I _do._ I really want to know everything. I _need_ to know. It's...it's a part of me. Part of who I am."

"Yeah," Evie hummed, not knowing what else to say. She'd never seen Doug like this before.

"I'm going to find her." Doug turned toward her now. "Evie, I'm going to leave for a while. Ben's already gotten permission for me to miss school." He smiled wryly at the thought. _Him_. _Skipping_ _school_. "I don't expect you to understand, but, this is something that I just have to do." It was obvious he'd been rehearsing this. Which made Evie wonder how long he'd been planning it. Ever since they got back, she guessed. "I understand if you're mad but--"

"Doug," Evie cut him off there, stepping forward to take his hand. "It's _okay_. I understand."

He stopped. "You do?"

She nodded. "Of course. Which is why I am coming with you."

"Evie, you don't --"

"I know. But I want to. I told you before, Doug, we're in this together."

He hesitated, a nervous expression flashing behind his glasses. And then, he turned fully to face her. "Thank you." She started to speak. "No. _Really_. Thank you. Evie, you did so much more than become a hero when you came to Auradon. You changed _me._ And I'm better because of it. And...and...I love you."

She looked down at him and smiled. "I love you too. Now, come on." She turned and began dragging him back toward the festivities. "We have a party to crash."

***  
Beyond seven hills and seven rivers, she stood. Her flowing red hair, her merciless dark eyes. She gazed into a cloud of gray smoke, watching the dwarf as he celebrated with his friends. A small smile crept onto her face. A smile of evil and wickedness. For he may have fooled her once. But, soon, it would be _her_ turn. And then they would all pay.

Suddenly, she glanced up and her hair flickered from red to black and back again. Her smirk continued to grow as she turned away from the smoke and faced the distant lights of Auradon.

" _What_? You didn't think this was the end of the story... _did_ _you_?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sadly, this is the final part. I truly hope you enjoyed the ride!

**Author's Note:**

> Song is "Welcome to the Show" by Britt Nicole


End file.
